Methamphetamine

drug-info-methamphetamine
Friday, August 28, 2009

Amphetamines are the name for a family of drugs that act as stimulants to the central nervous system. Stimulants speed up the messages to and from the brain. Amphetamines also act as appetite suppressants and some are legally prescribed for this purpose.

  1. What it is

    One of the most common forms of amphetamines is methamphetamine, or crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride, which is a powerful and highly addictive synthetic drug. In New Zealand, this is frequently called 'P' (short for 'pure'), crystal meth or ice.

  2. Health effects

    Short-term effects
    The onset of methamphetamine effects depends on the method of administration. It can have almost immediate effects when it is injected, or it can take longer than a half hour if ingested orally. Using greater amounts of methamphetamine can cause acute health problems, including:

  3. Dependence, addiction and overdose risk

    Methamphetamine is a highly addictive substance. The body metabolises the drug quickly, leading to a rapid depletion of the neurotransmitters that had previously been elevated, so many users then compensate by taking increased doses of methamphetamine.

  4. Law and penalities

    Methamphetamine is a classified in the Class A schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act, meaning it attracts the highest penalties possible for manufacture, sale and use. In addition, possession of substances used to make it also attracts significant penalties.

  5. Drug trends

    Methamphetamine has been the focus of considerable public attention in recent years. Recognising the risk of harm to both individual users and to society and in response to public concern, methamphetamine was upgraded to a Class A controlled substance. Penalties and police powers to investigate the manufacture, sale and use of methamphetamine were increased with this move.

  6. Reducing the harm

    The Drug Foundation’s message is clear: no drug use is the safest drug use. But we realise there will be occasions when people ignore warnings and use drugs. In order to limit the harm from their drug use, we provide information about effective methods of drug harm minimisation. Such information directly benefits the person using drugs, and also protects the wider community.

  7. How to get help

    There are a number of treatment organisations that can help. If you feel that you or anyone you know needs help, then you can call these services in strict confidence.

  8. Methamphetamine and pregnancy

    The full effect of maternal use of methamphetamine on the foetus is not completely known. However the use of methamphetamines and amphetamine type stimulants has been linked to complications in the development of the foetus and birth defects. Methamphetamine is known to cross the placenta to the unborn child.

  9. Links

    www.police.govt.nz/safety/meth.html The New Zealand Police's web page on the methamphetamine scene in New Zealand

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