The Age of Ice: Understanding Crystal Meth

"...for destruction, ice is also nice/and would suffice.." wrote Robert Frost in his poem, "Fire and Ice." He was referring to hate, but in our day and age, ice of another kind is proving very efficient in destroying lives.

This time, the ice under discussion is methamphetamine in its crystal form.

Unlike heroin, the most destructive drug of another generation, "ice," as it is commonly known, is not favored by one class or group of people over another. It's not only the vice of the poor, the hookers, jazz musicians and blues singers; it crosses every line from housewives and high school kids to high-powered business executives and celebrities. In my home state of Georgia, even a judge is rumored to have stepped down because he was busted for DUI, but was really addicted to meth.

Today, across the country, the overwhelming majority of drug and drug-related cases involve ice.

Up until a few years ago, most of the meth in this country originated in "labs," turning out "crank," low-quality methamphetamine with a purity level around 30 or 40%. But a few years ago, everything changed. The much purer "ice" began pouring into the country from Mexico and South America, originating now in "superlabs" and backed by organized crime. Suddenly, a small but significant problem became a very, very big problem.

Meth is extremely addictive, especially in its crystal form. Women often use it to lose weight. It enables the user to go for long periods without sleep, making it attractive to ambitious businessmen, students, and enthusiastic partiers. The high it produces is euphoric.

But meth, particularly ice, is deadly. It can cause hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and violent behavior. People who are on it for very long can become increasingly disconnected from reality, until nothing matters but the ice. They may become homicidal or suicidal, and they may stop taking care of themselves or those dependent on them. Eventually, they may develop brain damage, leading to conditions similar to Alzheimer's, stroke, or epilepsy. They may become emaciated, develop skin lesions, and start losing their teeth. The user requires more and more ice to reach the same "high." It becomes impossible for the ice addict to experience normal emotion without the drug.

Imagine it. An 18 year old addict who looks 30..thin, covered in lesions, and losing her teeth. Police officers and social workers see them every day.

Statistically, in 2004 6.2 percent of high school seniors admitted having used meth in some form. More than 12.3 million Americans over the age of 12 had used it, 5.2 percent of the population. Most of the users were between the age of 18 and 34. Those numbers have probably increased significantly in the last two years.

The spread of ice is hard to control because it is easy to make, with ingredients that are readily attainable, and cheap to buy. But the cost of ice is so high. New legislation is in the works to try to make the ingredients harder to obtain, but only when people realize the risk of ice, and want to change, will anything get better.

Education is key. Read up on methamphetamines, from reliable sources. Then share those sources with your children and your friends. Support community programs aimed at preventing ice addiction. Don't ever think that no one you know could become "one of them."

Someone you know probably already is.