Crystal use often evolves into a highly destructive addiction. People who use the drug to augment their dancing, sexual encounters, and social activities lose sight of the damage to their mental and physical well-being.

LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) people and POC (People Of Color) who were stable and productive individuals, often fall victim to becoming “tweakers” constantly on the hunt for their next high.

Bankruptcy, unemployment, and broken friendships are common results of crystal use, not to mention the health risks and legal ramifications.

Health Risks
Crystal use, by itself or in combination with other drugs such as Viagra, poppers, and Ecstasy, can cause serious and even life-threatening health problems.

Common immediate effects of Crystal use:

  • Euphoria

  • Increased energy and attentiveness

  • Diarrhea, nausea

  • Excessive sweating

  • Loss of appetite, insomnia, tremor, jaw-clenching (Bruxism)

  • Agitation, compulsive fascination with repetitive tasks (Punding)

  • Talkativeness, irritability, panic attacks

  • Increased libido

  • Skin rashes (“speed bumps”)

  • Decreased regard for having safe sex.

In addition to increasing the desire for sex and enabling the user to engage in prolonged sexual activity, methamphetamine lowers inhibitions and may cause users to behave recklessly or to become forgetful (ex. forget to use or change a condom.) These behaviors contribute to the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

Additionally, many chronic users find themselves engaging in prolonged and repeated masturbation and/or sex while simultaneously having difficulty reaching orgasm. This can result in tearing, chafing, and trauma (such as rawness and friction sores) to the sex organs, the rectum and mouth, which dramatically increases the risk of transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Methamphetamine also causes erectile dysfunction due to vasoconstriction.

Side effects associated with chronic use:

  • Drug craving

  • Weight loss

  • Withdrawal-related depression and anhedonia (feeling dull or stupid when one quits using)

  • Amphetamine psychosis

  • Lung Damage

  • Pregnant women can give birth to addicted babies because the drug is passed through the placenta. Breastmilk also passes the drug to nursing babies.

  • Rapid tooth decay ("Meth Mouth") (probably caused by a combination of drug-induced psychological and physiological changes resulting in xerostomia (dry mouth) which results in more tooth decay and a thirst that meth users often quench with high sugar drinks. Additional factors that lead to “meth mouth” include extended periods of poor oral hygiene, frequent consumption of high calorie, carbonated beverages and tooth grinding and clenching.

Side effects associated with overdose:

  • Brain damage/meningitis (Neurotoxicity)

  • Formication (sensation of flesh crawling with bugs, with possible associated compulsive picking leadings to infections, sores, and abscesses)

  • Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, which may trigger a tension headache

  • Rhabdomyolysis (muscle breakdown) which leads to kidney failure

  • Death from overdose is usually due to stroke, heart failure, but can also be caused by cardiac arrest (sudden death) or hyperthermia

Note: Brain deterioration can continue for months after abstaining from use.

Click here to read one man's firsthand experience with Crystal.

Click here to tell us about your experiences with crystal meth.

Legal Ramifications
Meth is illegal to have, give away or sell. Supplying someone else, even your friends, can result in imprisonment and/or a monetary fine!

Methamphetamine has become a major focus of the 'war on drugs' in the United States. It is classified as a Schedule II substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

Data shows that 7,438 clandestine methamphetamine labs were reported to have been seized during the 1999 calendar year. The seizure of drug labs for the illicit manufacture of meth reached a high of 17,710 in 2004.

In 1983, laws were passed in the U.S. prohibiting possession of “ingredients” and equipment for methamphetamine production.

In 1986 the U.S. government passed the Federal Controlled Substance Analogue Enforcement Act in an attempt to curb the growing use of designer drugs. Despite this, or perhaps in part because of this, usage of methamphetamine expanded throughout rural U.S., especially through the Midwest and South.

Since 1989 five federal laws and dozens of state laws have been imposed in an attempt to curb the production of methamphetamine.

The “Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005”, which was passed as part of the USA PATRIOT ACT, put restrictions on the sale of methamphetamine “precursors” (i.e. over-the-counter cold medicines) such as how much pseudoephedrine and ephedrine one may purchase in a specified time period, and further requirements about how these products must be stored in order to prevent theft.

On November 7, 2006, the US Department of Justice declared that November 30 be Methamphetamine Awareness Day.

(This information was found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine)