Methamphetamine Article, Methamphetamine Information

Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug which induces a strong feeling of euphoria and is highly addictive . Pure methamphetamine is a colorless crystalline solid, sold on the streets as glass, ice, orcrystal. It is also sold as less pure crystalline powder termed crank orspeed. Methamphetamine was first synthesized in 1919 in Japan by chemist A. Ogata .

In some instances, these substances when found on the street are diluted or cut with inert substances like mannitol or Vitamin B12 . In most instances, the methamphetamine is usually of a pure nature, but diluted mainly with thechemicals that were used to synthesize it.

Production

Methamphetamine is structurally similar to methcathinone , amphetamine , and other CNS stimulants . The reduction of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine will produce methamphetamine. Most of these chemicals are readily available in household products and over-the-counter medicines.This makes meth unusually easy to make, unlike marijuana and cocaine , which are both made from plants which can be easily detected by authorities.

Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride and ephedrine hydrochloride are commonly available decongestant drugs without strong euphoric effects. There are many different syntheses for conversion whichcan be found on the internet, although these sources are sometimes not trustworthy, and most experienced 'cooks' learned fromeither chemistry classes or other 'cooks' in person. The synthesis usuallyinvolves moderately dangerous chemicals which are generally used by people without laboratory training.

This can result in highly dangerous situations which can be environmental hazards , as the byproducts of production are highly toxic in most syntheses, and aresometimes dumped in unsafe places. An example is Phosphine gas, which can beproduced when the reaction is allowed to overheat, and which has killed operators of illegal "clan" ( clandestine chemistry ) or "meth" labs.

Methamphetamine can also be made from phenylacetone and methylamine , which are currently DEA List I chemicals.

Military use

Methamphetamine is often given to fighting troops and pilots during wartime by their government. Meth tends to suppress fear and emotion and make users aggressive andviolent, and this appealed to military commanders who wanted soldiers to charge into battle without fear.

During World War II , it was widely used by the armed forces of bothsides under the name Pervitin . The SovietRed Army also distributed meth to its troops. It has been recently discovered that Hitler was a methamphetamine user by IV Injection. During World War II, methamphetamine was passed out to Japanese kamikaze pilots.

Legality

Methamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II substance by the DEA in the United States . While there is technically no difference between the laws regarding methamphetamine andother controlled stimulants, most medical professionals are averse to prescribing it due to its status in society. Further, thereis some anecdotal evidence that the DEA audits such prescriptions on a far more regular basisthan similar drugs. Methamphetamine is legally marketed in the United States under the trade name Desoxyn , manufactured by Ovation Pharma . A generic formulation is also produced by Able Laboratories,Inc. .

In some areas of the United States , manufacturing methamphetamine ispunishable by a mandatory 10 year prison sentence. In some cases, however, judges haveruled for life in prison without the possibility of parole, especially in cases where victims were killed by meth overdoses or bychemicals used in making the substance.

In the UK, methamphetamine is classified as a Class B drug (under the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act ). Themaximum penalty for possession is five years imprisonment, and the maximum penalty for supplying is 14 years. If methamphetamineis prepared for injection, it is re-classified as a Class A drug. The maximum penalty for possession is then seven yearsimprisonment, and the maximum penalty for supplying is life.

Effects

Methamphetamine can be swallowed, snorted, smoked, or injected. The potential for addiction is greater when it is delivered tothe brain in a quicker manner, as seen with nicotine or cocaine addiction.

A dose of methamphetamine will usually keep the user awake with a feeling of euphoria for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hoursdepending on how much is ingested.

Users often experience feelings of extreme power in their minds . This power is usuallynot false when the user starts off the day's use with a good night's sleep. The initial methamphetamine high is usually veryclean; meaning that it makes you think faster, and on a higher, clearer level. It is only after sleep deprivation sets in thatthe methamphetamine user begins to get confused, or starts 'losing control'.

Jaw clenching is a common side effect of methamphetamine; this is one reason why methamphetamine addicts lose their teeth sofast. Twitching, jitteriness, and repetitive behavior are other common side effects of methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine is commonly smoked in glass pipes, or in tin foil without direct flame. Methamphetamine must be heated to putoff the desired smoke; not burned. Smoking methamphetamine is probably the most impure form of ingestion, since it is verydamaging to the lungs. Methamphetamine users who smoke it sometimes experience mild asthma, which can be helped by inhaling salbutamol aerosol , or epinephrine aerosol. Methamphetamine is a powerful nasal decongestant, somethamphetamine users who snort it often have very clear nasal cavities. It is debated what the healthiest form of ingestion isfor methamphetamine -- many users believe that the cleanest form of ingestion is by injection. Methamphetamine is soluble inwater, injection users usually dose 0.2 grams in 3ml of water through a small needle.

Street names

Methamphetamine has many street names, including glass, ice, or crystal for purer forms, or as lesspure crystalline powder termed crank or speed. "Crystal meth" is the crystalline form of methamphetamine. Inits purest form, it is commonly referred to as "glass" or "ice". This is because it appears to be broken shards of glass, orcrushed ice. The term ice has also been used for a less common illicit stimulant, 4-methylaminorex , which oftencauses confusion.

Nazi Dope generally refers to methamphetamine made with anhydrous ammonia , since it is rumored that this was the way the Nazis synthesized it in World War II . This same method issometimes called annie's dope or just annie.

Yaba

Yaba are methamphetamine tablets, often colored and candy flavored. Yaba means "crazydrug" in the Thai language and is popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia , where the drug is produced.

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Methamphetamine