Methamphetamine (pronounced /mmftmin/ listen) is a psycho stimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs.

Methamphetamine (USAN) is also known as methamfetamine (INN) [2], methylamphetamine, N-methylamphetamine, ordesoxyephedrine. It is colloquially called "crystal meth", "meth" or "ice". Methamphetamine increases alertness, concentration, energy, and in high doses, can induceeuphoria, enhance self-esteem, and increase libido.[3][4] Methamphetamine has high potential for abuse and addiction by activating the psychological reward system via triggering a cascading release of dopamine in the brain. In the United States, methamphetamine is FDA approved for the treatment of ADHD and exogenous obesity, dispensed in the USA under the trademark name Desoxyn.[5] As a result of methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity to dopaminergic neurons, chronic abuse may also lead to symptoms which persist beyond the withdrawal period for months, and even up to a year.[6] Research has found that 20% of methamphetamine addicts experience a psychosis resembling schizophrenia which persists for longer than six months post-methamphetamine use; this amphetamine psychosis can be resistant to traditional treatment.[7] In addition to psychological harm, physical harm, primarily consisting of cardiovascular damage, may occur with chronic misuse or acute overdose.[8]

EFFECTS:
Physical effects can include anorexia, hyperactivity, dilated pupils, flushing, restlessness, dry mouth,headache, tachycardia, bradycardia, tachypnea, hypertension, hypotension, hyperthermia, diaphoresis,diarrhea, constipation, blurred vision, dizziness, twitching, insomnia, numbness, palpitations, arrhythmias,[11]tremors, dry and/or itchy skin, acne, pallor, and with chronic and/or high doses, convulsions,[12] heart attack,[13] stroke, [14] and death

Psychological
Psychological effects can include euphoria, anxiety, increased libido coupled with increased tolerance to sexual stimulation, alertness, concentration, increased energy, increased selfesteem, self-confidence, sociability, irritability, aggressiveness, disorders, psychomotor, delusions of grandiosity, hallucinations, excessive feelings of power and invincibility, repetitive and obsessive behaviors, paranoia, and with chronic and/or high doses, amphetamine psychosis can occur.[

Withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms of methamphetamine primarily consist of fatigue, depression and an increased appetite. Symptoms may last for days with occasional use and weeks or months with chronic use, with severity dependent on the length of time and the amount of methamphetamine used. Withdrawal symptoms may also include anxiety, irritability, headaches, agitation, akathisia, hypersomnia(excessive sleeping), vivid or lucid dreams, deep REM sleep and suicidal ideation

Long-term
Methamphetamine use has a high association with depression and suicide as well as serious heart disease, amphetamine psychosis, anxiety and violent behaviours. Methamphetamine also has a very high addiction risk.[8] Methamphetamine is neurotoxic and is associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease.[6][22] Methamphetamine abuse can cause neurotoxicity which is believed to be responsible for causing persisting cognitive deficits, such as memory, impaired attention and executive function. Over 20 percent of people addicted to methamphetamine develop a long-lasting psychosis resembling schizophrenia after stopping methamphetamine which persists for longer than 6 months and is often treatment resistant.[7] [edit]Tolerance As with other amphetamines, tolerance to methamphetamine is not completely understood but known to be sufficiently complex that it cannot be explained by any single mechanism. The extent of tolerance and the rate at which it develops vary widely between individuals, and, even within one person, it is highly dependent on dosage, duration of use, and frequency of administration. Tolerance to the awakening effect of amphetamines does not readily develop, making them suitable for the treatment of narcolepsy.[23] Short-term tolerance can be caused by depleted levels of neurotransmitters within the synaptic vesicles available for release into the synaptic cleft following subsequent reuse (tachyphylaxis). Short-term tolerance typically lasts until neurotransmitter levels are fully replenished; because of the toxic effects on dopaminergic neurons, this can be greater than 23 days. Prolonged overstimulation of dopamine receptorscaused by methamphetamine may eventually cause the receptors to downregulate in order to compensate for increased levels of dopaminewithin the synaptic cleft.[24] To compensate, larger quantities of the drug are needed in order to achieve the same level of effects. Reverse tolerance or sensitization can also occur.[23] The effect is well established, but the mechanism is not well understood.

Addiction
Methamphetamine is highly addictive.[25] While the withdrawal itself may not be dangerous, withdrawal symptoms are common with heavy use and relapse is common. Methamphetamine-induced hyperstimulation of pleasure pathways leads to anhedonia. It is possible that daily administration of the amino acids L-tyrosine and L-5HTP/tryptophan can aid in the recovery process by making it easier for the body to reverse the depletion of dopamine,norepinephrine, and serotonin. Although studies involving the use of these amino acids have shown some success, this method of recovery has not been shown to be consistently effective. It is shown that taking ascorbic acid prior to using methamphetamine may help reduce acute toxicity to the brain, as rats given the human equivalent of 510 grams of ascorbic acid 30 minutes prior to methamphetamine dosage had toxicity mediated,[26][27] yet this will likely be of little avail in solving the other serious behavioral problems associated with methamphetamine use and addiction that many users experience. Large doses of ascorbic acid also lower urinary pH, reducing methamphetamine's elimination half-life and thus decreasing the duration of its actions.
[28]

To combat addiction, doctors are beginning to use other forms of stimulants such as dextroamphetamine, the dextrorotatory (right-handed) isomer of the amphetamine molecule, to break the addiction cycle in a method similar to the use of methadone in the treatment of heroinaddicts. There are no publicly available drugs comparable to naloxone, which blocks opiate receptors and is therefore used in treating opiatedependence, for use with methamphetamine problems.[29] However, experiments with some monoamine reuptake inhibitors such asindatraline have been successful in blocking the action of methamphetamine.[30] There are studies indicating that fluoxetine, bupropion and imipramine may reduce craving and improve adherence to treatment.[31]Research has also suggested that modafinil can help addicts quit methamphetamine use.[32][33] Methamphetamine addiction is one of the most difficult forms of addictions to treat. Bupropion, aripiprazole, and baclofen have been employed to treat post-withdrawal cravings, although the success rate is low. Modafinil is somewhat more successful, but this is a Class IV scheduled drug. Ibogaine has been used with success in Europe, where it is a Class I drug and available only for scientific research. Mirtazapine has been reported useful in some small-population studies.[34] As the phenethylamine phentermine is a constitutional isomer of methamphetamine, it has been suggested that it may be effective in treating methamphetamine addiction. Phentermine is

a central nervous system stimulant that acts on dopamine and norepinephrine. When comparing (+)-Amphetamine, (+/-)-ephedrine, and phentermine, one key difference among the three drugs is their selectivity for norepinephrine (NE) release vs. dopamine (DA) release. The NE/DA selectivity ratios for these drugs as determined in vitro [(EC(50) NE(-1))/(EC(50) DA(-1))] are (+/-)-ephedrine (18.6) > phentermine (6.7) > (+)-amphetamine (3.5).[35] Abrupt interruption of chronic methamphetamine use results in the withdrawal syndrome in almost 90% of the cases. The mental depression associated with methamphetamine withdrawal lasts longer and is more severe than that of cocaine withdrawal.[31] [edit]Meth

mouth

Main article: Meth mouth Methamphetamine users and addicts may lose their teeth abnormally quickly, a condition informally known as meth mouth. According to theAmerican Dental Association, meth mouth "is probably caused by a combination of drug-induced psychological and physiological changes resulting in xerostomia (dry mouth), extended periods of poor oral hygiene, frequent consumption of high-calorie, carbonated beverages andbruxism (teeth grinding and clenching). Some reports have also speculated that the caustic nature of the drug is a contributing factor.[36][37]Similar, though far less severe, symptoms have been reported in clinical use of regular amphetamine, where effects are not exacerbated by extended periods of poor oral hygiene.[38][39] [edit]Public

health issues/ Effect in Society

Wastes left behind from a methamphetamine lab

Short-term exposure to high concentrations of chemical vapors that may exist in methamphetamine laboratories can cause severe health problems or even result in death. Exposure to these substances can occur from volatile air emissions, spills, fires, and explosions.
[40]

Methamphetamine labs are often discovered when fire fighters respond to a blaze.

Methamphetamine cooks, their families, and first responders are at highest risk of acute health effects from chemical exposure, including lung damage and chemical burns to the body. Following a seizure of a methamphetamine lab, there is often a low exposure risk to chemical residues, however this contamination should be sanitized. Chemical residues and lab wastes that are left behind at a former methamphetamine lab can result in health problems for people who use the property, therefore local health departments should thoroughly assess the property for hazards prior to allowing it to be reinhabited, especially by children.[41]

Cannabis, also known as marijuana[2] (sometimes spelled "marihuana"[3]) among many other names,a[] refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as apsychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The word marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanishword marihuana.[4] According to the United Nations, cannabis "is the most widely used illicit substance in the world."[5] The typical herbal form of cannabis consists of the flowers and subtending leaves and stalks ofmature pistillate of female plants. The resinous form of the drug is known as hashish (or merely as 'hash').[6] The major psychoactive chemical compound in cannabis is 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (commonly abbreviated as THC). Cannabis contains more than 400 different chemical compounds, including at least 66 other cannabinoids (cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN) and tetrahydrocannabivarin(THCV), etc.) which can result in different effects from those of THC alone.[7] Cannabis use has been found to have occurred as long ago as the 3rd millennium BC[8] In modern times, the drug has been used for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. The UN estimated that in 2004 about 4% of the world's adult population (162 million people) use cannabis annually, and about 0.6% (22.5 million) use it on a daily basis.[9] The possession, use, or sale of cannabis preparations containing psychoactive cannabinoids became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th century.[10] Main article: Effects of cannabis

Main short-term physical effects of cannabis

Cannabis has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed. The minimum amount of THC required to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.[11] Aside from a subjective change in perception and, most notably, mood, the most common short-term physical and neurological effects include increased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, impairment of short-term and working memory,[12] psychomotor coordination, and concentration. Long-term effects are less clear While many drugs clearly fall into the category of either stimulant, depressant, orhallucinogen, cannabis exhibits a mix of all properties, perhaps leaning the most towards hallucinogenic or psychedelic properties, though with other effects quite pronounced as well. Though THC is typically considered the primary active component of the cannabis plant, various scientific studies have suggested that certain other cannabinoids like CBD may also play a significant role in its psychoactive effects.

Cannabis used medically does have several well-documented beneficial effects. Among these are: the amelioration of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy andAIDS patients, lowered intraocular eye pressure (shown to be effective for treating glaucoma), as well as general analgesic effects (pain reliever).b[] Less confirmed individual studies also have been conducted indicating cannabis to be beneficial to a gamut of conditions running frommultiple sclerosis to depression. Synthesized cannabinoids

are also sold as prescription drugs, including Marinol (dronabinol in the United States and Germany) and Cesamet (nabilone in Canada, Mexico, the United States and the United Kingdom).b[] Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved smoked marijuana for any condition or disease in the United States, largely because good quality scientific evidence for its use from U.S. studies is lacking; however, a major barrier to acquiring the necessary evidence is the lack of federal funding for this kind of research.[18] Regardless, fourteen states have legalized cannabis for medical use.[19][20] The United States Supreme Court has ruled in United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Coop and Gonzales v. Raich that it is the federal government that has the right to regulate and criminalize cannabis, even for medical purposes. Canada, Spain, The Netherlandsand Austria have legalized some form of cannabis for medicinal use Though the long-term effects of cannabis have been studied, there remains much to be concluded. Debated aspects include the possibility of cannabis dependence, the potential of cannabis as a "gateway drug", its effects on intelligence and memory, and the relationship, if any, of cannabis use to mental disorders such asschizophrenia and depression.[23][24][25] On some topics, such as the drug's effects on the lungs, relatively little research has been conducted, leading to division as to the severity of its impact. While cannabis has been correlated with the development of various mental disorders in multiple studies, these studies differ widely as to whether cannabis use is the cause of the mental problems, whether the mental problems encourage cannabis use, or whether both the cannabis use and the mental problems are the effects of some other cause. Still other studies even encourage the use of cannabis in treating schizophrenia. Similarly, efforts to prove the "gateway drug" hypothesis that cannabis and alcohol makes users more inclined to become addicted to "harder" drugs like cocaine and heroin have produced mixed results, with different studies finding varying degrees of correlation between the use of cannabis and other drugs, and some finding none. Generally, no scientific consensus exists regarding many of cannabis's long-term effects, despite a large number of studies. The terms cannabis or marijuana generally refer to the dried flowers and subtending leaves and stems of the female cannabis plant.[citation needed] This is the most widely consumed form, containing 3% to 22% THC.[26][27] In contrast, cannabis strains used to produce industrial hemp contain less than 1% THC and are thus not valued for recreational use. Physiological Effects of Marijuana The active ingredient in marijuana is THC. That's short for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.

THC is rapidly absorbed after smoking pot. Within minutes, THC and the other substances in marijuana smoke cause short-term medical effects. Signs of using marijuana include: rapid heart rate increased blood pressure increased rate of breathing red eyes dry mouth increased appetite, or "the munchies" slowed reaction time

These effects are reduced after three or four hours. However, marijuana hangs around in your system for as long as 24 hours after smoking. The lingering effects mean you're impaired for several hours after the high wears off. Psychological Effects of Marijuana The main psychological effect of smoking pot is euphoria. Getting high or "stoned" is the reason most pot smokers use marijuana. Other short-term psychological effects of pot include: distorted sense of time paranoia magical or "random" thinking short-term memory loss anxiety and depression

These psychological signs of using pot also generally ease after a few hours. But residual effects can last through the next day. Risks of Marijuana Use The risks of smoking marijuana go up with heavy use. Although the link has never been proven, many experts believe heavy pot smokers are at increased risk for lung cancer. Heavy marijuana use lowers men's testosterone levels and sperm count and quality. Pot could decrease libido and fertility in some heavy-smoking men. Contrary to what many pot smokers may tell you, marijuana is addictive, at least psychologically. Even among occasional users, one in 12 can feel withdrawal symptoms if they can't get high when they want to. Among heavy pot smokers, the rates of dependence are higher. Many experts also believe that marijuana is physically addictive. Symptoms of withdrawal from pot might include: aggression anxiety depressed mood decreased appetite

Is pot a "gateway" drug? In other words, does smoking marijuana make someone more likely to try cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, and other "hard" drugs? The jury is still out on this one. It's true that pot smokers are more likely to use other drugs after trying marijuana. What's not clear is whether smoking pot causes further drug use or if people who start smoking pot are just more likely to try drugs in general. If you're wondering how long marijuana stays in your system after smoking, it depends on how often you smoke. Light users -- those who smoke pot once in a while -- will have a negative drug screen after a marijuana-free week. Heavy users -- sometimes called "stoners" -- may continue testing positive for a month after last smoking pot.

Physical effect
Smoking Marijuana is very hard on the respiratory system. People who smoke marijuana frequently get sick more frequently than non smokers. They also miss more days of work due to being sick. It also takes longer to recover from colds if you are a daily smoker. The weed smoker cough can be pretty embarrassing. Imagine what your lungs look like after smoking several times per day. The great news is that once you stop smoking, the lungs immediately go to work to start repair themselves. Long-term smokers, notice an improvement within weeks of quitting. Personally, my respiratory system has improved greatly since quitting marijuana. I used to wake up in the morning with a cold or a stuffed nose every single day. The mucus from my nostrils, used to be a dark color, and was much thicker than now. The effects on the respiratory system alone are reason enough to stop smoking pot. Heavy marijuana use affects the skin. You have seen the skin of longtime cigarette smokers. It looks like leather. The skin of long-term marijuana smokers isn't much different. Many people lose the bags under their eyes, and have a healthier skin tone after quitting. Marijuana abuse can change the hormonal balance in the body. Numerous studies have shown that smoking marijuana regularly can lead to a decrease in the production of sperm as well as lazy sperm that are less likely to fertilize an egg. Sperm and heavy marijuana users is also more frequently deformed than non-users. There is also a link between heavy marijuana use and gynecomastia or man boobs.