NCJ Number
171823
Date Published
September 2006
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper provides an overview of the latest scientific findings on methamphetamine abuse and addiction.
Abstract
In answering the question, "What is methamphetamine?" the paper notes that methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system. The drug is easily made in clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. Methamphetamine abuse, long reported as the dominant drug problem in the San Diego area, has become a substantial drug problem in other sections of the West and Southwest as well. There are indications that it is spreading to other areas of the country, including both rural and urban sections of the South and Midwest. Immediately after smoking the drug or injecting it intravenously, the user experiences an intense rush or "flash" that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Snorting or oral ingestion produces euphoria. Methamphetamine has toxic effects. In animals, a single high dose has been shown to damage nerve terminals in the dopamine-containing regions of the brain. High doses can elevate body temperature to dangerous, sometimes lethal levels and cause convulsions. Long-term use of the drug has many damaging effects, including addiction. The paper also discusses the medical complications of methamphetamine abuse, the increased risk for abusers of contracting HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C, and where further scientific information about the drug's abuse can be obtained. A discussion of treatments advises that the most effective treatments for methamphetamine addiction are cognitive behavioral interventions. A glossary and 12 resources