Methamphetamine Use in America - Research Paper Example

Methamphetamines in America: A Substance Abuse Epidemic Abstract The drug methamphetamine is a potently addictive substance that is cheap and easy to produce. The drug’s presence is reaching epidemic proportions, both nationally and globally. As the substance’s presence has increased in the United States, it has become increasingly important for medical professionals to be cognizant of its effects and characteristics. There are a variety of manners in which to consume the drug via smoking, snorting, injecting or swallowing. Abuse results in long-term health risks such as tooth and bone loss, brain damage, as well as heart attack and stroke. Furthermore, children who are exposed to methamphetamine during pregnancy can also develop these symptoms. In the short term, methamphetamine use has significant short-term psychological side effects such as paranoia, anger, panic, hallucinations, confusion and convulsions. Many of these lead to violent aggressive acts and suicide. The goal of this paper is to evaluate most recent methamphetamine information with a focus on the history of the epidemic, user profile, its effects and potential clinical prevention strategies. Introduction The drug methamphetamine, which also goes under the street names meth, crystal or crank, is a major issue in modern American society. In general, the drug is easy to produce and highly accessible. With the proper chemicals, which are available over the counter, one can produce methamphetamine with little skill or experience. The drug was first synthesized by the Japanese chemist A. Ogata in 1919 and was used extensively by both sides during World War II with the intent of keeping soldiers awake and energized. In the United States, methamphetamines first entered the country at the beginning of the 1930s. Though initially snorted, by the 1960’s most users were injecting the drug into their bloodstream to reach a more intense “high”. Intense users would go on intense injection sprees using amphetamines for days, until overcome by physical exhaustion or psychosis. Furthermore, these individuals would develop aggressive behavior, physical weakness and profound emaciation. It is interesting to note that during this period, amphetamine abuse gradually decreased as the police and federal government tightened controls on amphetamine production. Furthermore, the Drug Enforcement Administration and medical licensing boards began to enforce severe penalties on physicians who over-prescribed the drug. The modern epidemic can be understood as beginning in the 1980s (GDCADA, 2006). During this period it has become the most abused illicit drug with the most strongly addicted population. This has resulted in the development of numerous methamphetamine abuse programs and myriad manners to stop the abuse of this dangerous drug. One such program developed by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) is the creation of numerous law enforcement technical assistance resources with the goal of combating the local community’s methamphetamine problem along with the crimes associated with the drug's often violent use, production, and distribution (Ray, 2006). In 2006, President Bush ordered the Department of Justice to take aggressive and collaborative action with local authorities to address the dangerous production of methamphetamine. The purpose of these efforts is to communicate, cooperate and coordinate with international, state and local police agencies to halt every aspect of the methamphetamine epidemic. Further mechanisms of control are by increasing the number of DEA operations and criminal arrests, increasing the number of prosecutions for meth-related crimes by U.S. Attorneys, collaborating with state and local police agencies, increasing general awareness of the drug’s effects (DOJ, 2006). It is through these efforts that hopefully a significant dent in the methamphetamine epidemic can be realized. In the modern age, the greatest social challenge that is associated with the methamphetamine epidemic is the wave of organized crime which accompanies it. Well organized and sophisticated drug gangs originating abroad manage, direct and supply the American methamphetamine market. According to a criminal survey, meth has become more prevalent than cocaine as the biggest drug problem in American rural and small towns. Furthermore, a majority of the police agencies in the survey reported that the drug was their biggest crime problem (Bonné, 2006). According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 10 million Americans aged 12 or older have used methamphetamine at least once for abuse reasons, representing over 4% of the American population in that age group. The Office of National Drug Control Policy reported in 2005 that the number of past year meth users was roughly 1.3 million (0.5% aged 12 or older) and in the past month the number of meth users was over 500,000 (ONDCP, 2002). These numbers emphasize that methamphetamine use has a powerful presence in American society and that efforts to combat it do not appear to be effective. While America has made major strides in establishing treatment programs for addicts and abuse prevention programs, without a doubt more must be done to reduce the current rate of substance abuse in contemporary society. Literature Review Methamphetamine is a potent stimulant drug that has a direct affect on the central nervous system. Even minor dosages of methamphetamines use result in increased alertness, increased physical activity, decreases appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia and euphoria. Other side-effects include irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia and aggressiveness. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s 2005 report, The Science of Drug Abuse and Addiction, hyperthermia and convulsions can result in death. Methamphetamine works by releasing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine has an effect on brain cells and elevates mood and body movement. With continued use, meth causes a depletion of dopamine which can produce symptoms similar to that of Parkinson's disease. In animal models, scientists have found that high use of methamphetamine produces damage to neuron cell endings. Dopamine- and serotonin-containing neurons do not perish as a result of methamphetamine use; nevertheless, their nerve endings are severed and re-growth is limited. In addition, the NIDA report found that as much as 50 percent of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain can be damaged after extended exposure to relatively low levels of methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is closely related chemically to amphetamine, but it has greater effects on the brain and central nervous system. Chemically, this parent drug is used commonly in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers and therefore these substances have seen increased level of monitoring and control. In addition, it is important to note that there are a few accepted medical reasons for the use of methamphetamine, such as the treatment of narcolepsy, ADD and for short-term treatment for obesity. Nevertheless, its medical uses are few and far between. Methods of Use Methamphetamine is taken orally, snorted, injected, or smoked. When smoked or injected, a methamphetamine user experiences a potent sensation called a rush. A rush typically lasts a few minutes immediately after consumption. After the initial rush phase, there is typically a state of high agitation and potential harmful behavior. When taken orally or snorted, the drug produces euphoria quickly though not the same “rush” phenomena seen with injuection. A long-lasting high can continue for as long as half a day. Both a rush and the high are believed to result from the release of extremely high levels of dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate pleasure (NIDA, 2005). Methamphetamine is designated a Class II stimulant, which means it has a high abuse potential and is therefore only available through a non-renewing prescription. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug seeking and abuse which is accompanied by profound changes in brain function. A methamphetamine addict can display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances and delusions (NIDA, 2005). Methamphetamine is also known as "speed" or "crystal" when it is swallowed or sniffed; as "crank" when it is injected; and as "ice" or "glass" when it is smoked. Effects and Health Risks All forms of methamphetamine are extremely dangerous and induce long-lasting, debilitating effects. With chronic use, tolerance can develop. In an effort to intensify the desired effects, users may take higher doses of the drug or take it more frequently. Although there are no physical signs of withdrawal syndrome when methamphetamine use is stopped, there are several symptoms that occur when a chronic user stops taking the drug. These include depression, anxiety, fatigue, paranoia, aggression, and an intense craving for the drug (NIDA, 2005). Research indicates that methamphetamine can increase libido in users; and according to the Encyclopedia Britannica (Britannica, 2006) libido means physiological and emotional energy associated with the sex drive. However, long-term methamphetamine use may be associated with decreased sexual functioning at least in men. Additionally, methamphetamine seems to be associated with rougher sex, which may lead to bleeding and abrasions. The combination of injection and sexual risks may result in HIV becoming a problem among methamphetamine abusers (NIDA, 2005). While there is still a lack of hard data connecting crystal meth use with HIV infection, studies have found that gay men using the drug are less likely to use condoms and more likely to have multiple, anonymous partners. They are also more likely to contract sexually-transmitted diseases like syphilis and hepatitis, and to be infected with HIV. Increased HIV and hepatitis B and C transmission are likely consequences of increased methamphetamine abuse, particularly in individuals who inject the drug and share injection equipment. Infection with HIV and other infectious diseases is spread among injection drug users primarily through the re-use of contaminated syringes or needles by more than one person (NIDA, 2005). Fetal exposure to methamphetamine also is a significant problem in the United States. At present, research indicates that methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may result in prenatal complications, increased rates of premature delivery, and altered neonatal behavioral patterns, such as abnormal reflexes and extreme irritability. Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy may be linked also to congenital deformities. Use of crystal meth is growing in the wider community. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "it is America's fastest-growing drug threat", with the Office of National Drug Control policy finding that "8 percent of high school seniors reported having tried it at least once; but the most recent data show that in 2003, only 3.2 percent of 12th graders reported having used methamphetamine" (Monitoring the Future, National Results on Adolescent Drug Use, 2004). According to the 2000 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, "an estimated 8.8 million people (4.0 percent of the population) have tried methamphetamine at some time in their lives". Data from the 2000 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collects information on drug-related episodes from hospital emergency departments in 21 metropolitan areas, reported that "methamphetamine-related episodes increased from approximately 10,400 in 1999 to 13,500 in 2000, a 30 percent increase. However, there was a significant decrease in methamphetamine-related episodes reported between 1997 (17,200) and 1998 (11,500)". In short, methamphetamine abuse is ubiquitous and dangerous and healthcare providers must seek to combat it. Conclusion The following four components are the basis for a prevention approach to methamphetamine-related problems that complement and enhance more traditional individual user- and behavioral-focused models. A successful community-based, environmental prevention approach focuses on integrating community participation, public policy work, and news making to address meth in a public health and safety context; through data collection, levels of meth problems and changes can be measured in ways useful for planning and evaluation; collaborative development, enactment, implementation, and support of policy focused solutions to meth-related problems are an integral part of the community-based, environmental prevention approach; and NIDA-funded research has found that through drug abuse treatment, prevention, and community-based outreach programs, drug users can change their HIV risk behaviors. Drug use can be eliminated and drug-related risk behaviors such as needle sharing and unsafe sexual practices can be reduced significantly, thus decreasing the risk of exposure. These approaches can been effective in many communities on a variety of public health and safety issues. References Bonné, J. (2006). Meth's deadly buzz. MSNBC.com. MSNBC Interactive. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from www.msnbc.msn.com DEA. Illegal Drugs in America: A Modern History. Retrieved April 19, 2007, from www.deamuseum.org DEA. (2006). DEA Briefs & Background, Drugs and Drug Abuse, State Factsheets, California. Retrieved May 20, 2007, from www.dea.gov DOJ Public Affairs. (2006, June 16). News from DEA, News Releases, 06/16/06. Retrieved March 28, 2007, from www.usdoj.gov DOJ. (2000). Clan Lab Programs - Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement - California Dept. of Justice - Office of the Attorney General. Retrieved April 15, 2007, from www.caag.state.ca.us Funderburk, E. (2000). Meth Watch. Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Retrieved April 15, 2007, from www.methwatch.com GDCADA,. (2006). GDCADA | Methamphetamine - History, Physical Effects. Retrieved March 24, 2007, from www.gdcada.org Marquand, B. (2001). Fighting the Meth Addiction Epidemic in Indian Country - Featured Stories - Fall, '06. Career Recruitment Media, Inc. Retrieved April 17, 2007, from www.minoritynurse.com ONDCP. (2002). Research Report: Methamphetamine: Abuse and Addiction, White House Drug Policy. Retrieved April 19, 2007, from www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov Ray, C. (2006, January 13). COPS Office: COPS Office Helps Law Enforcement Combat Methamphetamine . Retrieved March 29, 2007, from www.cops.usdoj.gov Tully , W. About Meth. DOJ. Retrieved May 25, 2007, from www.stopdrugs.org Read More