What It Is
Crystal Methamphetamine is a synthetic (doesn’t occur naturally,
must be man-made) stimulant that electrifies the brain and the central
nervous system. The drug, which is a member of the amphetamine family,
amplifies the release of dopamine in your body, the naturally
occurring chemical that transmits pleasure messages to your brain.

Slang
The drug goes by many different names depending on the region, cultural differences, and its underground appeal. In the Capital District and upstate/central NY, the most common names and associated activities include:

Blue Acid
Blue Crystals
Blue Diamonds
Blue Meth
Chris
Christina
Christine
Crank
Crunk
Crystal
Glass
Ice
Meth
PnP
Speed
The Bomber
Tina
(Email us if you know of another name)

When a person gets high on Crystal, the experience is often called "tweaking".

Form: Crystal usually appears in a white powder, but can also commonly be found in crystallized, pill, or capsule form.

History of Meth (The Short Version)
Methamphetamine was first synthesized from ephedrine in Japan in 1893 by chemist Nagayoshi Nagai. The related compound amphetamine was first synthesized in Germany in 1887 by Lazar Edeleanu.

One of the earliest uses of methamphetamine was during World War II when the German military dispensed it under the trade name Pervitin. From 1942 until his death in 1945, Adolf Hitler was given daily intravenous injections of methamphetamine by his personal physician, Theodor Morell as a treatment for depression and fatigue.

In the 1950s there was a rise in the legal prescription of methamphetamine to the American public. The 1960s saw the start of significant use of clandestinely manufactured methamphetamine as well as methamphetamine created in users' own homes for personal use. The recreational use of methamphetamine peaked in the 1980s.

Methamphetamine trafficking and abuse in the United States have been on the rise over the past several years, as indicated by investigative, seizure, price, purity, and abuse data. As a result, this drug is having a devastating impact in many communities across the nation.

Form
Crystal usually appears in a white powder, but can also commonly be found in crystallized, pill, or capsule form. High-grade crystals are semi-transparent and sheet-like. In powder form the color should be white. If the crystals or powder have a colored hue, this indicates the presence of impurities. Tina is odorless and extremely bitter tasting. Crystals are often sold by the 1/4 gram in a small plastic baggie.

Methods of Use
Crystal Meth can be ingested in a variety of different formats. It can be snorted, smoked, swallowed, injected, and inserted anally. Users report experiencing different highs depending on which mode of ingestion they use.

• Snorting: In the powder form, crystal is inhaled and absorbed through the membranes in the nostrils. This method usually yields a high within 3-5 minutes.
   

• Smoking (also sometimes called "chasing the dragon"): Using a glass or handmade pipe, a person can inhale the smoke that is produced from heating the crystal. This method usually yields the quickest high -- in about 10 seconds.
  

• Swallowing: In liquid, pill, or capsule form, crystal can be swallowed. Sometimes this involves “parachuting” - wrapping the substance in a small piece of tissue or toilet paper and then swallowing. Ingesting crystal through swallowing is the safest way to ingest the substance. It takes 20-30 minutes for the high to set in.
   

• Injection (also sometimes called "slamming"): People use a needle to inject a liquid form of the drug directly into their veins. Needle use is said to result in a particularly “intense high”, usually within 15-30 seconds. This is the most dangerous way to ingest the drug.
   

• Booty Bump (also sometimes called "butt rocket", "keistering", "plugging", "shelving" or "bumming"): By inserting meth into the anus, the thin walls that line the rectum absorb the drug producing a high in under 5 minutes.

Why People Use
People have a variety of reasons for using crystal meth. Here are some of the most popular reasons given:

• To complete mundane tasks; users say that they have more energy to
  clean and complete household chores.

• To achieve a quick high while doing less drugs.

• To increase sexual freedom; to decrease nervousness about having
  sex with other men, to become more aggressive or submissive, to work up the nerve to bottom.

• To gain the ability to dance for extended periods.

• To fulfill the need to have constant sexual encounters with
  numerous sex partners.

Other reasons why people use crystal are more subtle:

• Depression: To overcome feeling sad, lonely, or unworthy; people
  use crystal (and/or other substances) to alter their feelings or mood.

• Body Image: Some people report that crystal gives them the illusion of their ideal body image (for example: weight, build, dick size).

• Isolation: Some people feel alone and lonely and report that crystal use helps them to create a new and exciting social experience.

• Shyness: Some people report that it is easier to meet and connect with others.

• Self-esteem: Some people say that using crystal increases confidence and reduces insecurities.