Meth 101: facts and figures

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

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The following information was provided by the Larimer County Alliance for Drug-Endangered Children and professionals in the Larimer County Health Department.

Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that increases the amount of dopamine in the brain. The drug gives the user increased energy and a feeling of euphoria, at least in the first stages of use. It acts as an appetite suppressant and sexual stimulant, and it's relatively cheap. These characteristics make the drug appealing, especially to women who want to lose weight. With drug use in general, one-third of users are women. With meth, 47 percent of users are women.

Meth is highly addictive; in fact, it is possible to become addicted after just one use. The drug also damages brain cells. Brains can heal from the effects of meth, but it's a long process. Most drug treatment programs last only a month, but for former meth users it can take 18 months to normalize some of the chemical processes in the brain.

People tend to use meth on a binge basis. They may stay high for two or three days or longer, not eating or sleeping, then crash. The "crash" phase is a major contributor to child neglect.

Meth users exhibit a higher rate of aggression because of lowered inhibitions and greater paranoia. This results in child abuse, other domestic violence and assaults on police officers.

Other facts about meth use:

• "Gateway drugs" such as alcohol or marijuana can lead to meth use.
• A typical meth habit involves one gram of meth per day, costing about $40. The most common way to use meth is to smoke it, and the chemicals cause serious dental problems. A meth high can last eight to 10 hours, compared to a cocaine high of about one-half hour.
• Babies who are exposed to meth in utero can be normal, but they can also have respiratory problems, difficulty feeding and tactile sensitivity. Long-term effects of meth exposure on children are not yet known.
• Out of every $100 spent on drug issues, only 6 cents is used for treatment. The remainder is spent on court issues and jails.
• California found that, for every dollar spent on treatment of drug and alcohol problems, taxpayers saved four to 12 dollars in public services.
• For every pound of meth produced in a lab, five to six pounds of hazardous waste are generated. Properties used as meth labs require extensive--and expensive--clean-up efforts.