Are Your Neighbors Making Methamphetamines?

Have you gone to the pharmacy lately and had to show your ID in order to buy a simple bottle of Sudafed? Well, your not alone. The FDA has placed regulations on how much we can buy due to the alarming increase in "meth" labs in the United States. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant. Methamphetamine in produced domestically or imported into the United States already processed, however, more and more Americans are producing meth right in their own homes. You think that sounds scary? Well, it is scary, but so is the effects the drug has on users of the drug.

Methamphentamine users range anywhere from students, high school and college age, and white and blue collar workers, both men and women, and athletes. Athletes and students sometimes begin using methamphetamines due to the heightened mental and physical performance the drug produces. The drug stimulates the central nervous system and it's effects can last anywhere from four to 24 hours. Methamphetamine is highly addictive due to it's initial pleasurable effects, then later leaves an individual feeling depressed in which the user seeks more in order to return to "normal".

The individual who is addicted to methamphetamines are among the most difficult to treat. If treated successfully, it is highly likely the user will relapse. The user will go through extreme withdrawal symptoms like extreme irritability, depression, loss of energy, shaking, nausea, palpitations, sweating, excessive appetite, and hyperventilation. Methamphetamines can kill by causing heart failure, brain damage, stroke, and causes psychological changes that can result in suicide.

If you suspect a loved one is using methamphetamines, some signs and symptoms are nervousness, anxiousness, excessive talking, moodiness and irritability, repetitious behavior like picking at the skin or pulling at hair, aggressive or violent behavior, sleep disturbances, and severe depression.

The manufacturing of meth is extremely dangerous. There are literally thousands of recipes and unfortunately they are easily accessible on the Internet. A combination of over the counter drugs and chemicals require only a small investment in order to produce thousands of dollars worth of methamphetamines. Meth labs can be found anywhere from barns, garages, back rooms of a business, abandoned buildings, and even inside the home. Some common household items used in making the drug are extremely toxic like drain cleaner, lye, hydrochloric acid, battery acid, lantern fuel, and antifreeze. So as you can see these items have the potential of explosions and fires.

Recently the government has put regulations on the amount of over the counter medications that contain ephedrine, which includes a majority of our cold and sinus medications, as well on your common household items such as drain cleaner. So do you believe this regulation is going to stop the meth labs from producing methamphetamines? I think not. These regulations are more than likely necessary as a first step to the production of meth, however I believe we have a long road ahead of us before, if ever we see any results. Rather than a decrease in meth labs, we have had a recent increase in thefts. Our farms are a high target due to having tanks of chemicals they use on their crops, makers of meth are able to steal large quantities for meth production.

It is extremely important that we talk to our children about the effects methamphetamines will have on them long term before they are ever introduced to the drug. It is highly addictive and takes only one time to become addicted. It is more common than one would think. Whether you live in a small rural area or a large city, it is likely that there is a meth lab nearby, so it is important to educate ourselves and our loved ones on this very important subject. Never think you are not going to be affected by it personally, always be aware.

The production of meth is not only dangerous, but it leaves serious effects on our environment as well. As each pound of meth leaves behind five to six pounds of toxic waste behind, the makers are often pouring the left over waste down drains or directly into the ground. Some things you can look for if you suspect there is production of meth in your neighborhood is unusual strong odors similar to the odor of fingernail polish, large amount of products like cold medicine, drain cleaner, antifreeze, duct tape, coffee filters, glass beakers and containers and if windows are blacked out and alot of traffic at night.