Drug Abuse Education Course

Master Sgt. Doug OswaldAssistant Drug Demand Reduction Administrator

• Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant derived in 1932 from amphetamine, a drug synthesized in the early 1900s.

• Effects the natural chemicals adrenalin, seratonin and dopamine.

• Has surpassed crack and cocaine in some areas as the synthetic drug of choice.

Methamphetamine

• Methamphetamine has become a huge problem in America do to the increased legal, medical and social costs to local communities.

• 0.2% of the population, 512,000, are current meth users.

• 0.5% used meth at least once in the past year.

• 4.3% used meth at least once in their life.

Methamphetamine

• Made in illegal labs and smuggled into the U.S. by Mexican criminal organizations.

• Can be snorted, injected, smoked or swallowed.• Users can get addicted quickly and become very

violent.• They may experience feelings of paranoia,

psychosis, schizophrenia, obsessive behavior, and hallucinations in the form of “crack bugs” which result in obsessive picking of the skin.

Methamphetamine

• Powder cocaine highs start in 8 minutes and last about an hour.

• Crack highs start in 8 seconds and last 20 minutes.

• A meth high can start in 5 seconds and last from 8 to 12 hours.

Methamphetamine

• Binge users try to retain the high for as long as possible by re-dosing.

• When a user crashes, they’ll sleep for days and may not return to normal for weeks.

• Withdrawal symptoms can last for months.

• Signs of overdose include convulsions and agitation.

Methamphetamine

• Addiction• Decreased appetite• Anxiety & restlessness• Pupil dilation and blurred vision• Increased respiratory rate• Increased heart rate and blood pressure• Heart attack & stroke• Hyperthermia and convulsions• Brain damage • Death

Methamphetamine

Blue Meth

Chalk

Chicken Feed

Cinnamon

Crank

Cristy

Crystal meth

Geep

OZs

Peanut Butter

Quartz

Sketch

Spoosh

Speed

Stove Top

Super Ice

Meth Street Names

Glass

Go-fast

Hot Ice

Ice

Kaksonjae

L.A. Glass

Lemon Drop

Tick Tick

Trash

Wash

Wire

Yaba

Yellow Barn

Zip

• Many toxic chemicals are used in making meth resulting in environmental contamination.

• The production of one pound of meth releases poisonous gas and creates 5-7 pounds of toxic waste.

• The toxic waste gets poured down drains or dumped on the ground.

Methamphetamine

• One out of every six meth labs is discovered when it explodes or starts on fire.

• Because of the hazardous materials used in making meth, it can cost $29,000, or more, to clean up a lab.

• Some Minnesota counties spend over $500,000 annually to clean meth labs and meth waste.

• Cleanup crews must wear protective clothing and use breathing apparatus.

Methamphetamine

• Ever Tried:– 8th: 3.5%– 10th: 6.1%– 12th: 6.7%– College: 5.0%

• ER Admissions:– 1995: 15,933– 1996: 11,002– 1997: 17,154– 1998: 11,486– 1999: 10,447– 2000: 13,505– 2001: 14,923– 2002: 17,696

• Treatment admissions:– 1995: 48,000– 1996: 41,000– 1997: 54,000– 1998: 57,000– 1999: 58,000– 2000: 66,052

Who uses Meth in the U.S?

• Current Use:

– 8th: 1.1%

– 10th: 1.8%

– 12th: 1.7%

– College: 0.2%

• Average street price:– per pound: $3,500-$23,000

– Per ounce: $350-$2,200

– Per gram: $20-$300

Who Uses Meth in Minnesota?

• 49.6kgs (4,492 dosage units) were seized in 2005.• 49.4% (126) of the federal level drug cases in 2005

involved meth.• 51.7% (1,127) of all drug offenders in 2005 were

arrested for meth.• 15.8% (7,158) of all treatment admissions in 2005

were amphetemine & meth related.• 22 children were injured at meth labs in 2005.• 88 meth labs were seized in 2005:

2001: 154 2002: 242

2003: 301 2004: 96

Faces of Meth

Faces of Meth

4 years later

Meth addict, early 30s

Faces of Meth

3 months later

Meth addict, late 30s

8 months later

Meth addict, age 20

Faces of Meth

4 months later

Meth addict, age 28

Faces of Meth

3.5 years later

Meth addict, age 39

Faces of Meth

Meth-mouth

Who uses Illegal Drugs?

What’s the Cost?

Statistical Sources

2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National FindingsDepartment of Health and Human Services,

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,Office of Applied Studies

http://oas.samhsa.gov/