Do you know much about Crystal Meth Addiction?
Crystal Meth Addiction, which is commonly sold on the street and "cooked" in clandestine labs, crystal meth is a vile and poisonous drug extremely popular in Canada - and that's only part of the problem.
Unlike other types of drugs, crystal meth is highly addictive. A user is much likely to become addicted simply after one use; putting his own health in peril and continually resorting to dealers for more.
Police have reported that in several cases, crystal meth has been sold as ecstasy in parties. Its effects might be appealing to some, but they will never come close to outweigh the deadly and extremely harmful side effects.
A high from crystal meth appears very promising, since it is said to provide endless energy, removing the need to eat or sleep, super focus, increased productivity and euphoria. Imagine a euphoric flood, a complete body orgasm, infinite energy; the most boring of tasks becomes a riveting experience, even house-cleaning. Great, eh?
Far from that! The day after, the user feels sick, depressed, guilty, ashamed and angry. And what would take away those nasty feelings? More crystal meth of course. That's where the problem begins, and before the user knows it, he is completely hooked on crystal meth, trying to attain maximum energy and euphoria. The problem is that after awhile, the high of meth becomes disappointing, euphoria turns to numbness, super focus is replaced by confusion, and productivity is limited to simple tasks.
Severe side effects are associated with the use of crystal meth. Some of them include:
Behavioral Effects:
Excited
Pressed Speech
Disorganized
Irrational
Distrust
Violence
Cognitive Effects:
Agitation
Panic
Confusion
Paranoia,
Hallucinations
Confusion
Speed Bugs
Psychotic Episode
Physical Effects:
Increased Heart Rate
Rise in Blood Sugar
Insomnia
Shakiness
Fever
Kidney and Liver Damage
Chest pain
Death
Crystal meth does not discriminate; it preys on businessmen, professionals, students, teenagers, the working class, the "average Joe", the street bum and everybody in between.
"Crystal meth can just take over a community, because of its highly addictive properties and the ease with which it can be synthesized in labs in homes. It's alarming. You have small communities that are awash in this drug," said Sgt. Ian Sanderson, an RCMP drug expert in Edmonton.
Not only in Alberta, but in other Canadian provinces too, the popularity of crystal meth is increasing dramatically. Canada's crystal meth problem is the worst in British Columbia. The number of deaths there related to methamphetamine has risen from three in 2000 to thirty-three in 2004. Most of those deaths have been drug overdoses or car accidents in which the driver was high on meth. A rise in certain types of crime in B.C. in recent years is in part attributable to the increased use of methamphetamines. Car theft, fraud and sex assaults are all fuelled by the adrenaline rush from crystal meth.
One of the main factors creating hardships for the police force in dealing with crystal meth, is the abundance of crystal meth labs in homes and warehouses. These labs deal with toxic and lethal chemicals throughout a complex process of transformation. Frighteningly enough, these labs are situated in the heart of residential neighbourhoods and business areas. The discovery of such labs is usually after a serious explosion occurs, often resulting in several injuries and deaths.
It gets worse. Families, including children, live in these home-based labs, eating and sleeping next to highly toxic chemicals. Health officials fear children exposed to these chemicals are at a significantly higher risk of long-term health problems, including Parkinson's disease, and many are developmentally delayed. Yet unless the lab is discovered, the children remain in a perilous situation.
The environment is equally affected. The creation of crystal meth in those clandestine labs produces huge amounts of chemical waste. For every pound of crystal meth produced, 5 pounds of chemical waste has to be disposed of. Usually, it is either flushed down the bathtub, or simply thrown out into the environment.
Crystal meth is an all-round poisonous drug. It is a growing crisis affecting families, friends and neighbourhoods, just like yours. No one is sheltered from its harmful effects, be it by the drug itself, the toxicity of producing it, or the dangers of being nearby a hidden clandestine lab. Additional drug prevention campaigns and resources need to be put forth to help eliminating this threat. Crystal meth is a killer that must be stopped.
Certain Canadian provincial governments are beginning to take measures to counteract the increasing popularity of crystal meth. Drug prevention campaigns across the country are being se in place to inform the youth and teenagers of the grave dangers of this drug. For those who wish to get medical assistance from their drug addiction, there are several drug rehabilitation and treatments centers available across the country.