『In addition to crime,methamphetamine causes significant environmental damage in the places where it is made. The manufacture of one pound of methamphetamine creates six pounds of corrosive liquids,acid vapors,heavy metals,solvents,and other harmful materials. When these chemicals make contact with the skin or are inhaled,they can cause illness,disfigurement,or death. Lab operators almost always dump the waste. The implication for the central valley in California,a source of a large percentage of American’s fruits and vegetables and much of its meth,are significant. In the early 2000s,hospitals in the central valley were treating many children,often of undocumented immigrants,for conditions related to the chemical by-product of meth production. As an agent there told me,“Millions of pounds of toxic chemicals are going into the fruit basket of the United States. The chemicals are turning up in alarming levels of ground water samples.”
The health effects of taking meth are disastrous. The drugs lands more people in ERs than any other club drug,including ecstasy,ketamine,and GHB combined. (And in a laboratory test conducted at the University of California in Los Angeles,eight out of tablets sold as ecstasy at clubs in that city contained meth.)Those who don’t overdose on the drug may still die from it. Meth causes or contributes to fatal incidents and suicides. After conducting a survey of suicidal tendencies in drug users,psychiatrist Tom Newton,a researcher at UCLA,concluded that “methamphetamine is a unique potent drug for inducing depression so severe that people feel like committing suicide.”
Many other health risks are related to chronic meth abuse. A doctor who works at a San Francisco emergency room told me about the stream of meth addicts who come in with “blown-out”—literally ruptured —aortas. Addicts may cough up chunks of the lining of their lungs. Many meth addicts lose their teeth. Chronic meth use can cause Parkinson’s-like cognitive distinction,including deteriorating memory and mental acuity and physical impairment,including paralysis —results of meth-induced strokes. One-time use of the drug can be fatal. It can cause the body temperature to sharply rise,leading to lethal convulsions,death from hyperthermia,“arrhythmic sudden death”—the heart no longer has a functional beat— or fatal aneurysms. Serious or fatal conditions may be more likely to occur because of the extended periods of activity that many users engage in. Meth user may not sleep or eat for days. The combination of drug and fatigue has been shown to contribute to paranoia and aggression. The cycle tends to compound physical,psychological,and social problem;and these all may be further compounded by existing mental health issues,which are common among users.』*
David’s son Nick was a heavy meth user. Although Nick did agree to join the rehab program;however after having recovered back and looked normal and fine,Nick would disappear suddenly and later on found starting using meth again. In six years,Nick had been back and forth between a rehab program and restarting using meth for many times.
The family members had always been so painful about the challenges and surprises brought in by Nick,and felt so hopeless on how they can further do to actually help anything to him.
On one hand,juveniles’brains are still under development and the use of meth would cause even bigger impact on them than on adults;on the other hand,since they are still young and their brains more flexible,if corrective actions are taken earlier,they have a better chance to recover and survive.
David’s suggestion for parents is to talk about drugs to their children as earlier as possible by themselves,instead of later on by others like teachers,policemen or doctors,which always means too diffucult and too late to recover from the damage caused by drugs.
And once addiction is identified,,corrective actions should be implemented as quick and as thorough as possible.
According to David’s experience,meth user,even had quitted drugs and rehabbed,more or less would have some kind of psychological problems to carry over for the rest of their life.
For a family that has meth-addicted member,unfortunately,the only best they can hope might be no hope. So they at least no need to continue to worry about being wakened up by a phone call from police or ER at mid of night or in the very early hours of the morning.
Methamphetamine,Meth,will cause permanent damage on user’s brain cells. We should tell our children to avoid trying. Yes,we should. Tell,and tell,and tell.
*: Beautiful Boy,A father’s journey through his son’s addiction,by David Sheff
2019/4/23 Beautiful Boy Damakey
