Article and Song

An article about Methamphetamine and culture:

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/23/world/europe/23meth.html?_r=1

This article talks about the growth of methamphetamine in Europe. In Czech Republic in particular, the epidemic of home Meth labs are far worse now. Europe is afraid after seeing the rapid expansion in US about the fate of the drug in their countries.

A song about drug abuse.

Not an Addict
By K’s Choice

Breath it in and breath it out
and pass it on it's almost out
We're so creative and so much more
We're high above, but on the floor

Chorus1: It's not a habit, it's cool
I feel alive
If you don't have it you're on
the other side

The deeper you stick it in your vein
The deeper the thoughts there's no more pain
I'm in heaven, I'm a god
I'm everywhere, I feel so hot

Chorus2: It's not a habit, it's cool
I feel alive
If you don't have it you're on
the other side
I'm not an addict (maybe that's a lie)

It's over now, I'm cold, alone
I'm just a person on my own
Nothing means a thing to me
Oh, nothing means a thing to me

Chorus

Free me, leave me
Watch me as I'm going down
Free me, see me
Look at me I'm falling
And I'm falling.........

It is not a habit, it is cool
I feel alive I feel.......
It is not a habit, it is cool
I feel alive

Chorus

I'm not an addict, I'm not an addict, I'm not an addict.

In this, it talks about drug addicts being in denial about being addicted to drugs.
It says that according to teenagers, it’s cool to do drugs and it’s good for you.

Source: http://www.lyrics007.com/K%27s%20Choice%20Lyrics/Not%20an%20addict%20Lyrics.html

Visual Representations

I chose this picture because it shows darkness and fear, which I think is a big cause of drug abuse and addiction. The person feels cornered and alone, with no one around to help so they have to turn to the one thing that does nothing but harm. I also liked this picture because of the lack of colour in it to show that when you start feeling like you’re alone, it would be as though all your happiness has been taken away and you’re only left with yourself.

Source: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6OxVh7-REa4bGCufpxx1Ow-BhA1Do9m7hr0zwIMTtCNHA9zmnXBWSkdvrQ1gAizUPfSI-KnVZV9TzcBLwxDKk3Dz5MWQhbPkOkEkm39jCn9p5eCPrPGsz3cnSLwnUM0DXtvZmC24r_v8/s400/teenage+drug+abuse.jpg

Empathy

Empathy means understanding each others feelings by metaphorically being in the others shoes and visualizing the other person’s perspective. It is a major component of being supportive to any close friend or relative in treatment for abuse or addiction. I chose this visual because of it’s representation of two people working together to create one whole which is what empathy is about in the end; building towards new understanding. It incorporates not only knowing and identifying with each other, but also creating a new bond.

Source: />http://psychologicalresolutions.co.nz/uploads/images/team%20work.jpg

Family

How would your family be changed if a family member started abusing drugs or was addicted? How would your family deal with the individual?

A family tends point fingers and blame each other for every mistake made which is usually not the way to get past it. I expect that the family would want the member to get help and get them cured of the “disease” but sometimes, they might come off as too pushy or not understanding enough; this could cause the drug user to feel pressured, resulting in possible relapse. A family could easily be torn apart with a conflict like this. But my family would come closer together to help the addict recover fully.

Policies and Effects on Others

Punishment for having or selling the drug in Indonesia and Singapore.

Singapore: More than 250 grams of methamphetamines - mandatory death sentence by hanging.

Indonesia: Drug laws provide for sentences of up 20 years for marijuana offenses and for the death penalty in narcotics trafficking or conspiracy cases. But most simple ecstasy, methamphetamine, or heroin possession cases result in prison terms ranging from one to five years.

How Methamphetamine affects families and communities, the economic costs to individuals, the community and law enforcement.

Methamphetamine is one of the most dangerous and street expensive drugs. Since it can be made at home, it is more difficult to track down Meth trafficking, making our communities more vulnerable to expansion. Meth is also the cause of many deaths, accidents and injuries that can tear a family apart.

Graphs and Statistics

Statistics of Methamphetamine

Meth lab seizures have gone up 577% nationally (USA) since 1995.

Meth is surpassing cocaine as the drug of choice in Oklahoma. The office reports Meth is found in more cases of homicides, and motor vehicle accidents.

The estimated cost of making Meth is $100 an ounce, with a street value of $800 an ounce.

Meth's street value is approximately $3,000 per pound.

Methamphetamine led to 10,447 visits to emergency departments in 1999, down from a peak of 17,665 in 1994.

Methamphetamine contributed to nearly 500 deaths in 1998, the last year for which data are available.

Approximately 8% of high school seniors surveyed in 2000 had used methamphetamine at least once in their lives. An unknown number of teenage users may have dropped out of school before reaching senior year.

It costs government an average of $2,000 to clean up a methamphetamine lab.

The graph above shows the amount of Methamphetamine seized (in kg) every year from 1992 to 2004.



This graph shows the number of homes investigated for Meth labs and the number of arrests in comparison every year from 1992 to 2004.

Methamphetamine

What drug are you researching?

Methamphetamine

What are the street names of the drug?

Crank, crystal, crystal meth, meth, Christina, ice, speed, trash, garbage, wash.

How is the drug taken?

The drug, like many illicit substances, may be injected, ingested, snorted, or smoked.

Is the drug a stimulant or depressant?

Stimulant

A brief history of the subject/drug and its classification:

Amphetamines were given to soldiers and factory workers to help them stay alert. In the 1950s and ‘60s, Methamphetamines were prescribed to help people lose weight.
But as the use of Meth grew, so did the abuse. It became a cure-all for people wanting to stay awake, for weight control, for increasing athletic performance and to treat mild depression.

Does the drug have a medical use? If so what is it?

There are a few accepted medical reasons for its use, such as the treatment of narcolepsy, attention deficit disorder, and - for short-term use - obesity; but these medical uses are limited.

Short term effects

Methamphetamine causes wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia, euphoria,

Long term effects

Slowed motor skills and weakened memories in the individuals.
Abusers who remained abstinent for at least nine months were found to have recovered a little but their motor skills and memories were not found to have significantly recovered.
Brain damage, memory loss, psychotic-like behaviour, heart damage, hepatitis, and HIV transmission.

Side effects

Suicidal thoughts, confusion, chest tightness, chest pain or heart palpitations, shortness of breath, more outgoing or aggressive behaviour than normal, strange behaviour, hallucinations, restlessness, uncontrolled movements.

Withdrawal effects

Fatigue, irritability, excessive sleep, disturbed sleep, irritability, increased appetite, depression, psychotic reactions, anxiety.

Price of the drug if known both locally and from your home country or another country.

Retail price per gram
Indonesia: 961,140 Rp ($93.6)
Singapore: US $ 166.7

Certified by Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek Shepherd
Seattle Grace Hospital

General Information about Drugs

What parts of the brain are affected by drugs? By your drug?

Drugs are chemicals that tap into the brain's communication system and disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive, and process information.
Methamphetamine stimulates the brain cells, which in turn would enhance temperament and body moment.

Why do people abuse drugs?

Curiosity, to avoid feeling (drug taking is daring and exciting), peer pressure, to fit in, to feel more self confident, to escape from problems or from outside pressures, to relax and ‘feel good’, ease of access to drugs, some medications physically addictive.

What is an addiction? What does this mean? How do people become addicted?

Addiction is a brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences. This means that once a person is addicted to something (anything), physically, they cannot control themselves and will go to distant measures to obtain that thing. Although for most people the initial decision to take drugs is voluntary, over time the changes in the brain caused by repeated drug abuse can affect a person's self control and ability to make sound decisions.

How many different classes of drugs are there and what are there names?

Narcotics, amphetamine-type stimulants, cannabis, depressants, hallucinogens, inhalants, opioids.

Certified by Dr. Meredith Grey and Dr. Derek Shepherd
Seattle Grace Hospital

About me

My name is Meredith Grey and I'm a surgeon from Seattle Grace Hospital with my husband (a neuro surgeon), Derek Shepherd.

We're both trying to spread the awareness of the issue of a highly dangerous drug, Methamphetamine and it's effects on cognitive behavior and decision making. Also, we want to educate on the common concerns of this deadly stimulant.

This drug is widely seen as the cause of several health problems in our hospital alone and we want to act quickly before it gets even more out of hand.