Crystal Meth
Is also known as ice, crystal, glass, crank, yaba in its various forms.
Its chemical name is methamphetamine hydrochloride and in its pure form it is a colourless crystalline solid. [In its most impure form it can be a crumbly brown or off-white crystal structure – this is the version known as crank]
The crystal meth bought on the street may be impure due to bad synthesis or may have been cut with other things to bulk out the quantity.
Effects of methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant which closely mimics the body’s natural fight-or-flight response to danger or threat.
[increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, constriction of the artery walls, dilation of the bronchial tubes (oncreases oxygen uptake), and increased blood sugar]
Users are more focused, more alert and lose their appetite as well as not noticing fatigue at the lower doses. If a higher dose is taken [especially by smoking] a ‘rush’ or ‘flash’ is experienced which causes intense pleasure but only lasts a few minutes. If it is used regularly the dose required to get the same rush can escalate rapidly.
Other effects of methamphetamine are:
Twitching or jitteryness or restlessness
Dry mouth
Jaw clenching/teeth grinding
Agitation
Repetitive behaviour patterns [like obsessive compulsive behaviour but drug induced]
Diaorrhea
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Insomnia, disturbed sleep patterns
Irritability
Talkativeness
Panic attacks
Dilated pupils
Increased libido [often without erection in males]
Weightloss
Sweating
Visual and auditory hallucinations [hearing and seeing things]
Itching [leads to scratching and welts on the skin]
Shortness of breath
Anxiety
Aggressiveness and violent behaviour
Suspiciousness & paranoia
Overconfidence [false sense of importance and power]
Severe depression, suicidal tendencies
The effects on the body of long term use are:
Psychological addiction
Weight loss
Depression on the come down
Inability to maintain an erection
Very fast loss of teeth due to low saliva production and reduced blood supply to the mouth combined with bad oral hygiene
Psychosis
Poor imminue system function
Anxiety
Chronic fatigue
Emotional mood swings
Kidney and lung damage [can be fatal]
Liver damage
Strokes
Methamphetamine also has a significant risk of overdose due to the ways it can be taken; the symptoms of overdose include:
a sensation that the user’s skin is crawling with bugs [the user may pick at their skin causing sores which become infected due to repeated picking]
Long term cognitive impairment [that means permanent brain damage which alters how you behave/function][symptoms are similar to Parkinson’s disease]
Severe depression
Serious overheating
Convulsions
Delusions and/or hallucinations
Paranoia
Kidney damage[caused by reduced blood supply to the organs]
Comas
Kidney failure
Death due to a heart attack
Death due to burst blood vessels in the brain [stroke]
How methamphetamine is taken
Methamphetamine can be taken in a variety of ways:
Orally, snorting, inhaling the vapourised fumes and intravenously being the most common (anal insertion and insertion into the urethra are also sometimes used).
Methamphetamine bought on the street is usually cut with other substances making the actual strength of the drug unknown until consumed.
A regular users dose of methamphetamine (especially intravenous user) could be fatal to an occassional user so please be very careful if you use it.
If you are going to be taking the drug start with small amounts until you have gauged the strength of the batch you have.
Erowid Methamphetamine Vault : Dosage gives you and idea of the dosages involved in safe use of the drug.
Please be aware that regular use of this drug quickly leads to tolerance and leads to larger doses being required for the same effect and that repeated use of the drug in a day will lead to the loss of the initial euphoric feeling a new user feels.
Some drugs such as MAOI inhibitors have an adverse [bad] reaction with methamphetamine and are very dangerous when taken in conjunction with it.
Also make sure you are aware of the symptoms of overdose so that you know when you have overdone it and may require medical assistance.
Some final cautionary notes
Please be aware that there is a world of difference between what is normally called speed and crystal meth
Sspeed is amphetamine sulphate; crystal meth is methamphetamine.
Tthere have only been 89 recorded deaths from amphetamine sulphate since 1886; i have no idea exactly what the crystal meth figures are but we are talking hundreds.
Here are some user accounts of it for your information:
“The only time i took it i ‘came to’ at about 7 in the morning, covered in body paint, wearing just a pair off cut of denim shorts (don’t know where either the paint or shorts came from, or where my clothes and shoes went) miles from home
I was in a pool hall harassing a Japanese couple to bet £100 i didn’t have on pool”
” Always make an educated choice – know the difference when your buying crack and crystal meths. Also its possible for dealers to pass of crank as strong crack.
Apologies for the scare mongering, however a good friend of mine has relapsed onto this shit and Ive never seen anyone go down so quick – pardon the pun.
I had smoked some a few months ago – unusually strong and kept me awake for ages for only a “pipes” worth – the bloke selling it died from septacemia (Blood poisening) – mainly from doing speedballs – (Crack and smack)”
“London dealers and ravers often claim their base (strong paste-like amfetamine sulphate) is “crystal meth” to make it sound “stronger””
“It just seemed like base but slightly stronger (I think that party went on for two days!). The chap who obtained it (who was one of the most hardcore caners I knew at the time) said he was frightened by its effects and refused to obtain or take any more.”
