Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug used for both medicinal and illicit recreational purposes. Like most stimulants, methamphetamine may induce strong feelings of euphoria and can be addictive. Pure methamphetamine is prescribed by physicians in formulations such as Desoxyn. Illicit methamphetamine comes in a variety of forms. Most coveted is a colorless crystalline solid, sold on the streets as crystal meth, glass, ice, P, Tina, Tik or numerous other street names. more...

Home

Marinol

Marplan

Matulane

Maxair

Maxalt

Maxolon

MDMA

Medrol

Mobic

Modicon

Motrin

Mucinex

Muse

Mykacet

Mykinac

Myleran

Mylotarg

Mysoline

Phentermine

It is also sold as less-pure crystalline powder called crank or speed, or in rock formation termed dope, raw or tweak. Yaba (Thai for "crazy medicine") is also based on methamphetamine. It has become one of the world's most prevalent illicit drugs.

Methamphetamine found on the street may be pure, or diluted with the chemicals that were used to synthesize it; in some instances, it may be diluted or cut with inert substances like inositol.

History

Methamphetamine was first synthesized in 1919 in Japan by the chemist A. Ogata. The method of synthesis was reduction of ephedrine using red phosphorus and iodine. Methamphetamine is closely related to amphetamine, which was first synthesized in the year 1887 by L. Edeleano, a German chemist. Over time, the chemical's use, distribution, and place in society changed from insignificant, to controversially beneficial, to infamous.

Later use included its distribution by the Allies and the Axis to troops during World War II under the name Pervitin. The Nazis, in particular, distributed methamphetamine widely to their soldiers for use as a stimulant, particularly to SS personnel and Wehrmacht forces in the Eastern Front. Adolf Hitler himself used to receive shots of methamphetamine from his personal physician. After World War II, a massive supply of methamphetamine, under the street name shabu, formerly stocked by the Japanese military, became available in Japan. The Japanese banned the drug soon after World War II, adding to growing yakuza businesses. Today, the underworld is still associated with the drug in Japan although strong social taboos discourage its use.

The 1950s saw a high rise in the legal prescription of methamphetamine to the American public. According to the 1951 edition of Pharmacology and Therapeutics (by Arthur Grollman), it was to be prescribed for "narcolepsy, post-encephalitic parkinsonism, alcoholism, ... in certain depressive states...and in the treatment of obesity." "Pop a pep pill" became the answer to a number of problems.

The 1960s saw the start of the significant use of clandestine manufacture to supply methamphetamine. Prior to 1983, U.S. laws prohibiting the possession of precursors and equipment for methamphetamine production were not yet in place. The 1980s saw a rise in recreational use of the drug. The December 2, 1989 edition of The Economist described San Diego, California as the "methamphetamine capital of North America."

In 1986, the U.S. government passed the Federal Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act in an attempt to combat the growing problem of designer drugs. In spite of this, its use expanded throughout the rural United States—especially the Midwest and South. Growth of methamphetamine use continues into the 21st century. A decline of recreational use of methamphetamines is seen by some as a natural consequence of abuse, given the difficulties of stemming its use through law enforcement; the damage done by the chemical has been so great that some choose to avoid the drug as a result of either direct observation or word-of-mouth concerning the drug's effects. Nevertheless, many feel that current methamphetamine abuse in the U.S. still constitutes an epidemic.

Read more at Wikipedia.org

• [List your site here Free!]

Methamphetamine testing in children
From Medical Laboratory Observer, 5/1/05 by Daniel M. Baer

Q Our laboratory has received requests from the local police department and the department of social services to perform drug testing on children who are picked up from meth houses. The testing is for medical treatment only, not legal purposes. I was under the impression that these children absorb the drugs in their hair, skin, and nails but rarely test positive in urine samples.

Please advise on the specimen of choice for testing children for exposure to drugs. Also, what are the medical problems related to exposure, and is testing for a drug appropriate? Would a liver profile be a better screen because of the effects of the chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine?

A This question presents several issues. The first is a legal one. On whose authority will you be doing the testing? In many states, medical laboratory testing can only be ordered by a physician, and results can only be reported to a physician. Some states require informed consent from an individual if drug-of-abuse testing is going to be performed. Be sure that you have competent legal advice before proceeding with testing requested by police or social service agencies.

The next question is whether the children were exposed to methamphetamine users or methamphetamine manufacturing. Acute methamphetamine poisoning usually results in neurological problems such as CNS stimulation, anxiety, hyperactivity, hyperpyrexia, hypertension, abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting. Chronic ingestion is similar. Liver or kidney damage is not a feature of exposure to methamphetamine. (1,2)

The problems caused by exposure to methamphetamine manufacturing labs are very different. A large variety of hazardous and toxic chemicals are associated with methamphetamine manufacture. These include solvents such as xylene, acetone, trichloroethane, or toluene; caustics such as anhydrous ammonia, hydrochloric acid, or sulfuric acid; and metals and salts such as red phosphorus, iodine, or sodium metal. All of these can cause failure of the lungs, liver, or kidneys. (1,2)

A number of guidelines exist for dealing with children found at methamphetamine lab sites. These recommend that children be assessed by medically trained personnel to determine whether medical care is necessary. The most important part of the assessment is obtaining a thorough history to determine the extent of possible exposure and the chemicals used in the lab. If medical care is required, a protocol such as that in the California Drug Endangered Children Resource Center's "Medical Protocols for Children Found at Methamphetamine Lab Sites" should be followed. (3) The Oregon protocol (1) suggests that a urine methamphetamine assay be performed within 48 hours for children with no signs of toxicity. A sensitive assay capable of detecting methamphetamine at the lower levels of quantitation (50 ng/mL) is needed to detect incidental drug exposure. Other tests to be considered include a CBC and renal- and liver-function tests. None of the protocols mentions tests of hair or nails.

References

1. Oregon Department of Human Services. Children in methamphetamine "labs" in Oregon. CD Summary. August 12, 2003. Available at: http://www.dhs.state.or.us/publichealth/cdsummary/2003/ohd5216.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2005.

2. National Drug Intelligence Center. Information bulletin: children at risk. July 2002. Available at: http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs1/1466/. Accessed March 28, 2005.

3. California Drug Endangered Children Resource Center, Medical protocols for children found at methamphetamine lab sites. Available at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/ts/CDL/CA-DEC-Medical%20Protocol.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2005.

--Daniel M. Baer, MD

Professor Emeritus

Department of Pathology

Oregon Health and Science University

Portland, OR

Daniel M. Baer, MD, is professor emeritus of laboratory medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, OR, and a member of MLO's editorial advisory board.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Return to Methamphetamine

Home

Contact

Resources

Exchange Links

ebay