Methamphetamine

Systematic (IUPAC) name
N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
Identifiers
CAS number	537-46-2
ATC code	N06BA03
PubChem	CID 1206
DrugBank	DB01577
ChemSpider	1169 Y
UNII	44RAL3456C Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL1201201 Y
Chemical data
Formula	C10H15N
Mol. mass	149.233 g/mol
SMILES	eMolecules & PubChem
InChI[show] InChI=1S/C10H15N/c1-9(11-2)8-10-6-4-3-5-7-10/h3-7,9,11H,8H2,1-2H3 Y Key: MYWUZJCMWCOHBA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
Synonyms	Desoxyephedrine Pervitin Anadrex Methedrine Methylamphetamine Syndrox Desoxyn
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	62.7% oral; 79% nasal; 90.3% smoked; 99% rectally; 100% IV
Metabolism	Hepatic
Half-life	9–12 hours[1]
Excretion	Renal
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	C(US)
Legal status	Controlled (S8) (AU) Schedule I (CA) Schedule I (US) Class A(NZ) Schedule 5(SA) Injectable:Class A, Oral: A(UK)
Routes	Medical: Oral Recreational: Oral, I.V., I.M., Insufflation, Inhalation, Rectal
Y(what is this?)  (verify)

Methamphetamine (pronounced /ˌmɛθæmˈfɛtəmiːn/ listen), also known as metamfetamine (INN), methylamphetamine, N-methylamphetamine,

"Meth" and "Tik" redirect here. For other uses, see Meth (disambiguation) and Tik (disambiguation).

This article is about the psychostimulant drug, methamphetamine, in both racemic and dextrorotatory forms. For the CNS inactive OTC nasal decongestant, see levomethamphetamine.

Methamphetamine

Systematic (IUPAC) name
N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine
Identifiers
CAS number	537-46-2
ATC code	N06BA03
PubChem	CID 1206
DrugBank	DB01577
ChemSpider	1169 Y
UNII	44RAL3456C Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL1201201 Y
Chemical data
Formula	C10H15N
Mol. mass	149.233 g/mol
SMILES	eMolecules & PubChem
InChI[show] InChI=1S/C10H15N/c1-9(11-2)8-10-6-4-3-5-7-10/h3-7,9,11H,8H2,1-2H3 Y Key: MYWUZJCMWCOHBA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y
Synonyms	Desoxyephedrine Pervitin Anadrex Methedrine Methylamphetamine Syndrox Desoxyn
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	62.7% oral; 79% nasal; 90.3% smoked; 99% rectally; 100% IV
Metabolism	Hepatic
Half-life	9–12 hours
Excretion	Renal
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	C(US)
Legal status	Controlled (S8) (AU) Schedule I (CA) Schedule I (US) Class A(NZ) Schedule 5(SA) Injectable:Class A, Oral: A(UK)
Routes	Medical: Oral Recreational: Oral, I.V., I.M., Insufflation, Inhalation, Rectal
Y(what is this?)  (verify)

Methamphetamine (pronounced /ˌmɛθæmˈfɛtəmiːn/ listen), also known as metamfetamine (INN), methylamphetamine, N-methylamphetamine, desoxyephedrine, and colloquially as meth, is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of drugs. It increases alertness, concentration, energy, and in high doses, can induce euphoria, enhance self-esteem, and increase libido. Methamphetamine has high potential for abuse and addiction by activating the psychological reward system via triggering a cascading release of dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin in the brain. Methamphetamine is FDA approved for the treatment of ADHD and exogenous obesity, marketed in the USA and Canada under the trademark name Desoxyn
Following a period of heavy use, also known as "binging", which typically last days or even weeks, a severe withdrawal syndrome lasting up to 10 days can occur, primarily consisting of depression, fatigue, excessive sleeping and an increased appetite. Chronic methamphetamine abuse, can result in prolonged psychiatric disorders, cognitive impairment, as well as an increased risk of developing parkinson's disease. These symptoms which persist beyond the withdrawal period for months and even up to a year, are due to damage to the central nervous system as a result of methamphetamine induced neurotoxicity.Research has found that 20 percent of methamphetamine addicts experience a psychosis resembling schizophrenia which persists for longer than six months post-methamphetamine use; this amphetamine psychosis can be resistant to traditional treatment. In addition to the psychological harm of methamphetamine abuse, physical harm, primarily consisting of cardiovascular damage, can often occur with chronic abuse or acute overdose.

Crystal methamphetamine was first synthesized in 1919 by Akira Ogata.

Medical use

Methamphetamine is FDA approved for use in children and adults under the trademark name Desoxyn. A generic version became available in April, 2010. It is prescribed as a treatment for ADHD and exogenous obesity, as well as off-label for the treatment of narcolepsy and treatment-resistant depressionMethamphetamine is known to produce central effects similar to other stimulants, but at smaller doses, with fewer peripheral effects.^[64] Methamphetamine's fat solubility also allows it to enter the brain faster than other stimulants, where it is more stable against degradation by monoamine oxidase (MAO).

Other uses

A 2006 study by a group of University of Montana scientists showed that methamphetamine appears to lessen damage to the brains of rats and gerbils that have suffered strokes. Their preliminary research has found that small amounts of methamphetamine created a protective effect, while higher doses increased damage. The findings have shown that methamphetamine could be used medically to lessen stroke damage.

Health issues

Meth mouth

Main article: Meth mouth

Methamphetamine users and addicts may lose their teeth abnormally quickly, a condition informally known as meth mouth. According to the American Dental Association, meth mouth "is probably caused by a combination of drug-induced psychological and physiological changes resulting in xerostomia (dry mouth), extended periods of poor oral hygiene, frequent consumption of high-calorie, carbonated beverages and bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching). Some reports have also speculated that the acidic nature of the drug is a contributing factor." Similar, though far less severe, symptoms have been reported in clinical use of regular amphetamine, where effects are not exacerbated by extended periods of poor oral hygiene.

Hygiene

Serious health and appearance problems can be caused by unsterilized needles, lack or ignoring of hygiene needs (more typical on chronic use), and obsessive skin-picking, which may lead to abscesses

Increased risk of sexually transmitted disease

See also: Sex and drugs and Party and play

Men who use methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine are twice as likely to have unprotected sex, according to British research.^[69] American psychologist Perry N. Halkitis performed an analysis using data collected from community-based participants among gay and bisexual men to examine the associations between methamphetamine use and sexual risk taking behaviors. Methamphetamine use was found to be related to higher frequencies of unprotected sexual intercourse in both HIV-positive and unknown casual partners. The association between methamphetamine use and unprotected acts were also more pronounced in HIV-positive participants. These findings suggested that methamphetamine use and engagement in unprotected anal intercourse are co-occurring risk behaviors that potentially heighten the risk of HIV transmission among gay and bisexual men.^[70] Methamphetamine allows users to engage in prolonged sexual activity, which may cause genital sores and abrasions. Methamphetamine can also cause sores and abrasions in the mouth via bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding), which can turn typically low-risk sex acts, such as oral sex, into high-risk sexual activity. As with the injection of any drug, if a group of users share a common needle without sterilization procedures, blood-borne diseases, such as HIV or hepatitis, can be transmitted. The level of needle sharing among methamphetamine users is similar to that among other drug injection users

Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding

Methamphetamine passes through the placenta and is secreted into breast milk. Infants born to methamphetamine-abusing mothers were found to have a significantly smaller gestational age-adjusted head circumference and birth weight measurements. Methamphetamine exposure was also associated with neonatal withdrawal symptoms of agitation, vomiting and tachypnea.^[73] This withdrawal syndrome is relatively mild and only requires medical intervention in approximately 4% of cases.

Public health issues

Short-term exposure to high concentrations of chemical vapors that may exist in methamphetamine laboratories can cause severe health problems or even result in death. Exposure to these substances can occur from volatile air emissions, spills, fires, and explosions.Methamphetamine labs are often discovered when fire fighters respond to a blaze. Methamphetamine cooks, their families, and first responders are at highest risk of acute health effects from chemical exposure, including lung damage and chemical burns to the body. Following a seizure of a methamphetamine lab, there is often a low exposure risk to chemical residues, however this contamination should be sanitized. Chemical residues and lab wastes that are left behind at a former methamphetamine lab can result in health problems for people who use the property, therefore local health departments should thoroughly assess the property for hazards prior to allowing it to be reinhabited, especially by children.

Routes of administration

Studies have shown that the subjective pleasure of drug use (the reinforcing component of addiction) is proportional to the rate at which the blood level of the drug increases.Intravenous injection is the fastest route of drug administration, causing blood concentrations to rise the most quickly, followed by smoking, suppository (anal or vaginal insertion), insufflation (snorting), and ingestion (swallowing). Ingestion does not produce a rush, an acute transcendent state of euphoria, as forerunner to the high experienced with the use of methamphetamine, which is most pronounced with intravenous use. While the onset of the rush induced by injection can occur in as little as a few seconds, the oral route of administration requires approximately half an hour before the high sets in. Thus, with both higher the dosage of methamphetamine used and faster the route of administration applied, the higher potential risk for psychological addiction.

Injection

Injection, also known as "slamming", "banging", "shooting up" or "mainlining", is a popular method used by addicts which carries relatively greater risks than other methods of administration. The hydrochloride salt of methamphetamine is soluble in water. Intravenous users may use any dose range, from less than 100 milligrams to over one gram, using a hypodermic needle, although it should be noted that typically street methamphetamine is "cut" with a water-soluble cutting material, which constitutes a significant portion of a given street methamphetamine dose. Intravenous users risk developing pulmonary embolism (PE), a blockage of the main artery of the lung or one of its branches, and commonly develop skin rashes (also known as "speed bumps") or infections at the site of injection. As with the injection of any drug, if a group of users share a common needle without sterilization procedures, blood-borne diseases, such as HIV or hepatitis, can be transmitted.

[edit] Smoking

Smoking amphetamines refers to vaporizing it to inhale the resulting fumes, not burning it to inhale the resulting smoke. It is commonly smoked in glass pipes made from glassblown Pyrex tubes and light bulbs. It can also be smoked off aluminium foil, which is heated underneath by a flame. This method is also known as "chasing the white dragon" (whereas smoking heroin is known as "chasing the dragon"). There is little evidence that methamphetamine inhalation results in greater toxicity than any other route of administration.^[77] Lung damage has been reported with long-term use, but manifests in forms independent of route (pulmonary hypertension (PH)), or limited to injection users (pulmonary embolism (PE)).

[edit] Insufflation

Another popular route to intake methamphetamine is insufflation (snorting), where a user crushes the methamphetamine into a fine powder and then sharply inhales it (sometimes with a straw or a rolled up banknote, as with cocaine) into the nose where methamphetamine is absorbed through the soft tissue in the mucous membrane of the sinus cavity and straight into the bloodstream. This method of administration redirects first pass metabolism, with a quicker onset and higher bioavailability than oral administration, though the duration of action is shortened. This method is sometimes preferred by users who do not want to prepare and administer methamphetamine for injection or smoking, but still experience a fast onset with a rush.

Suppository

Little research has been focused on the suppository (anal or vaginal insertion) method of administration. This method of administration is commonly administered using an oral syringe. Methamphetamine can be dissolved in water and withdrawn into an oral syringe which may then be lubricated and inserted into the anus or vagina before the plunger is pushed. Anecdotal evidence of its effects are infrequently discussed, possibly due to social taboos in many cultures. The rectum and the vaginal canal is where the majority of the drug would likely be taken up, through the membranes lining its walls. This method is often known    within methamphetamine communities as a "butt rocket", a "booty bump", "potato thumping", "turkey basting", "plugging", "keistering", "shafting", "bumming" and "shelving" (vaginal). It is anecdotally reported to increase sexual pleasure, while the effects of the drug last longer. As methamphetamine is centrally active in the brain, these effects are likely experienced through the higher bioavailability of the drug in the bloodstream (second to injection) and the faster onset of action (than insufflation).

Production and distribution

Industrial-scale methamphetamine and MDMA chemical factory in Cikande, Indonesia.

Terminology

Nicknames for methamphetamine are numerous and vary from region to region.
Some common nicknames include:

• "ice"
• "meth"
• "crystal"
• "crystal meth"
• "Zimpy"
• "chunk"
• "nuclear winter"
• "glass"
• "Sorcerer's Stone"
• "crank"
• "gak"
• "glass"
• "chalk"
• "fire"
• "Nagayoshi's Magic Brain-Diamonds"
• "Starlight Express"
• "Fossilized Death"
• "Scabs of God"
• "Stay-Awake"
• "go-fast"
• "tweak"
• "jib"
• "Nazi dope"
• "tik" (South Africa)
• "ya ba" (Thai for "madness drug" (Thailand))
• "shabu" (Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia)
• "bato" (Philippines)
• "batu or batunas" (Hawaii, US)
• "batu kilat" (Malaysian for "shining rocks" (Malaysia))
• "poor man's cocaine" (Rural America)
• "Sissonville Slimfast" (West Virginia, US)
• "vint" (Russian for "a screw" (Russia))
• "P" (from the "p" in "pure" (New Zealand))
• "piko" (after the trade name "Pervitin" (Slovakia))
• "perník" (in translation "gingerbread" phonetically similar to "Pervitin" (Czech Republic)) 

The nickname most commonly used in the gay community is "Tina"
Methamphetamine may also be referred to as "speed", a nickname that is commonly used for amphetamine (in racemic or dextrorotary form), which differs from methamphetamine by the absence of a methyl group in its chemical formula

• Amphetamine
• Childhelp Crystal Darkness
• Clandestine chemistry
• Dextroamphetamine
• G protein-coupled receptor
• Levoamphetamine
• Levomethamphetamine
• Methamphetamine Drug Trade
• Montana Meth Project
• Phenethylamine
• Propylhexedrine
• Releasing agent
• Rolling meth lab

Using whole body imaging, the TSA at Los Angeles International Airport discovered a pound of methamphetamine on a passenger.

Methamphetamine is addictive.^[53] While the withdrawal itself may not be dangerous, withdrawal symptoms are common with heavy use and relapse is common.