Methamphetamine Research Paper

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Research Paper: Methamphetamine Methamphetamine creates a high that users of the drug find irresistible. The drug is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder easily dissolvable in water or alcohol and is taken orally, by snorting, by needle injection, or by smoking. Users of the drug experience a sudden "rush" of pleasure or a prolonged sense of exhilaration. With this are also increased energy, focus, confidence, sexual competence and feelings of desirability after taking the drug. However, after doing it once, users require more and more of the drug in order to obtain the feeling again, and maintain it. With repeated use, methamphetamine exacts a toll on the mind and body. It deprives its users of their physical health…show more content…
One of the major problems that crystal meth has is the overdose rate. According to Volkow, with crystal meth “50% of the drug is removed from the body in 12 hours,” but with cocaine “50% of the drug is removed from the body in 1 hour.” This shows how much more powerful methamphetamine is opposed to other drugs like cocaine. The most popular type of methamphetamine is referred to as ice and that is what people smoke. “The effects of ice…stimulate the brain to a greater degree than regular methamphetamine but stimulates the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to a lesser degree. The decrease in cardiovascular effects, up to 25% less than that of regular [meth], encourages users to smoke more, resulting in more overdoses and a quicker disruption of neurotransmitters” (Neurosoup). This states that with ice methamphetamine the brain is receiving all of the benefits from the drug allowing a person to obtain the happy feeling they get when using it. The drawback is that the cardiovascular system cannot warn someone that they need to stop, so they thus continue to take more meth and then overdose. While meth has extreme short term affects, it also has long term effects on the body. “In addition to being addicted to methamphetamine, chronic abusers exhibit symptoms that can include anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent

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