Throughout this report you will be given an insight on how Crystal Methamphetamines can potentially affect the offspring of the user. There’s been loads of stories appearing where users offspring’s have been born extremely sick or ever stillborn due to pregnant users This topic has been brought to light to give an idea on how important the future offspring’s are for the future human population, when a user of Crystal Methamphetamine become pregnant it no longer just affects just the user itself but also the offspring, the effects on the offspring can become long term and short term brain malfunction. The offspring and children who will soon be adults of tomorrow need the best head start as possible, but that is made impossible when adults and parents of today don’t even give a chance to the young. Crystal Methamphetamine is one of the biggest drugs out and about in Australia, with its raw materials easy to source and put together it is not only dangerous for the user to take but making it can become just as harmful. The purpose of this report is to show the effect of Crystal Methamphetamine on the potential offspring and also the person themselves. People need to be aware of is situation because it is believed to be becoming more common, the more people know about this there is a better chance the next generation and the generation after etc. get the best head start in life and the best health throughout life.
This drug that will be investigated is a worldwide stimulant, although it has many different names such as; Ice, Shard, Glass and Crank it is formally known as Crystal Methamphetamines. The way this drug affects the brain, is it gives an insane reality to some about how much damage it can really cause.
Dopamine is a chemical that varies not only through the brain but also the entire body for example heart, lungs, muscles, kidneys, stomach, intestines, and the blood vessels, which is how it gains access. Depending where dopamine is in the body changes the role it’s playing. Dopamine increases in the body when the user takes crystal methamphetamine (Dopamine is a compound that is neurotransmitter throughout the body), dopamine starts directly in the brain by encouraging brain cells to release their dopamine stores and blocking the reuptake transporters that recycle dopamine that can be used for later on. The main reaction from crystal methamphetamine includes the overload of dopamine, with intense mood and also physiological effects. Crystal methamphetamine is known as the most potent stimulant because it increases dopamine in brain more than any other: in comparison cocaine increases dopamine in the brain by 400 percent, with crystal methamphetamine increasing by 1500 percent. The nucleus accumbency, an area of the brain highly connected with addictive drugs, uses dopamine to transfer information with another area known as ventral tegmentum (‘VTA’ is the midbrain structure that is rich in dopamine neurons and is an important part of the reward system). The connection with these two areas is called a mesolimbic pathway, also called as a nickname the “brain-reward circuit.” This circuit is strongly related to the need of feeling pleasure and can cause compulsive repetition of behaviour at it extreme, this compulsive repetition can become out of hand, causing it to lead into addiction. The more this drug is allowed to stimulate this pathway, the more addictive the drug tends to become. Crystal methamphetamine is the strongest way to stimulate this pathway than any other known drug. The release of supraphysiologic and dopamine is associated with the production, chemically reactive particles that cause cellular damage. This can encourage genetic mutations, cancer, cell death, and aging in the body. In the same way, free radicals are produced as the user damages brain cells, particularly in the basal ganglia(involved in coordination of movement) and connections to the prefrontal cortex as known as the part in front of the frontal lobe. These areas affect movement, memory, attention, and even the basic decision-making and impulse control that are needed to stay sober. The structural brain changes that result from crystal use make the tasks of relapse prevention and resisting cravings much more difficult.
The chemical structure of crystal is similar to other stimulants, such as amphetamine (Dexedrine and Adderall), pemoline (Cylert), as well as the hallucinogen methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) commonly known as ecstasy and also including legal drugs such as caffeine.
Pregnancy without the added chemicals contains a number complication just waiting for something to interfere, so when you add in the chemicals from the crystal methamphetamine starts up a whole new level of complications. Evidence shows that a crystal methamphetamine user can take a major toll on the development of the foetal affecting the offspring’s health long term and short term entering through the shared blood stream. When a user of crystal methamphetamine becomes pregnant they run a run risk of having an early labour that may place the offspring in a life or death situation due to odd bleeding, if on an off change the offspring survive with or without an early labour they have an increased risk of the offspring having strange abnormalities. Women during pregnancy genuinely have a changed in heart rate whether its increased or decreased, users increase the heart rate even more for not only them but also the offspring making it dangers for both of them, if unhelped this can lead the offspring into a life of kidney damage, heart problems, stroke and pre-eclampsia.
If the mother uses crystal methamphetamine close to birth the baby can possibly be born with symptoms of crystal methamphetamines users, and if the mother is a regular user of crystal methamphetamines or amphetamines they may also experience the feeling of withdrawal for the first few weeks before birth. Pregnant women with uncontrolled high blood pressure are at increased risk for eclampsia, Eclampsia is a serious condition that affects the placenta and can have an impact on the mother's kidneys, liver and her brain and can lead to death. Pregnant woman uses crystal methamphetamine may experience the placenta tearing away from the uterine wall that causes heavy bleeding in the mother also becoming deadly.
Studies shown higher complications in labour and delivery
50% of pregnant uses delivered their babies pre-term.
17% of pregnant who did not that delivered their babies pre-term.
29% of pregnant get a C-Section.
23% of pregnant who were not users required a C-Section.
DNA damage is quite often common, because the enzymes that are there to protect the foetus have not developed yet, and aren’t until the last weeks of pregnancy. So as the offspring goes through developing organ structures and mental functions is effected by raging crystal methamphetamines, causing DNA to make up with little defences to fighting to damage to those cells. The damages resulting in different disorders such as heart defects, mental abnormalities, physical deformities and sometimes death. Some off the lifelong issues includes the increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), low IQ, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, significant behavioural issues, increased aggression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Type 2 Diabetes, and many more.
Crystal methamphetamines is one of the biggest worldwide stimulant with the chemical structure is similar to other stimulants. With majorities of maker using ephedrine or pseudoephedrine mainly this drug has some of the easiest raw materials to purchase from local super markets and making it the most popular drug of choice around the world. Majority of the effects from crystal methamphetamines comes from the chemical reaction with dopamine that starts in the brain going to all the organs. HIV, hepatitis B and C is mostly contracted through being a user who injects this drug. The effect of taking crystal methamphetamine while pregnant plays a huge role short term and long term on how it may affects the offspring after, the effects are likely to start even before the offspring is born causing it to have major defects, knowing the information given can help if ever in the position where you need to help or be helped when it comes to crystal methamphetamine also well as pregnant.
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth.html
16/10/15
Owned by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/the-deadly-effects-of-meth.html
16/10/15
Ice, speed & other methamphetamines http://www.druginfo.sl.nsw.gov.au/drugs/list/methamphetamines.html
23/10/15
Steven J. Lee, M.D.
http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cycol-0406-lee.html
4/11/15
Lisa Schmidt, Advanced Emergency Medical Technicianhttp://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/What_are_the_Effects_of_Crystal_Meth_during_Pregnancy
4/11/15
This drug that will be investigated is a worldwide stimulant, although it has many different names such as; Ice, Shard, Glass and Crank it is formally known as Crystal Methamphetamines. The way this drug affects the brain, is it gives an insane reality to some about how much damage it can really cause.
What is a Stimulant Drug?
A stimulant drug is also known for giving you a high; these drugs aren’t always illegal, but also legal for example; chocolate, caffeine (coffee etc.). While raising the user’s blood pressure, increasing the heart rate making them feel as though you are more awake and motivated. Crystal Methamphetamine chemicals also effect the brain by making you go into ‘fight or flight’ mood, and making you more talkative even though you may not be making sense to anyone and causing the user to change their thought on a person dramatically. All the while that happens it decreases the other bodily functions this drug can take a major toll on their body weight and health by basically switching off all your everyday needs and feelings for the uses hunger, thirst or the need for sleep. Crystal Methamphetamine is one of the most popular drugs worldwide, purely because the user gets addicted to the positive effect it has. Once the drug starts wearing out you start the feeling the complete opposite with no in-between and creates a chemical imbalance, this can cause the persons temper to become shorter and easy to start up. Physical demands also start to play a role convincing the brain it needs more just to feel good again. Crystal Methamphetamine was first used in World War ll to increase soldier’s alertness, using synthesised from ephedrine or pseudoephedrine around 1918. Now a days makers of the drug use ephedrine or pseudoephedrine mainly, ephedrine may be found in many cough medications, although now that it has become a more abuse drug the government has begun to restrict from buyers. Chemicals can also be extracted from things like brake cleaner, engine starter, rubbing alcohol, batteries, and fertilizer. All of methamphetamine chemicals are toxic. While users are in the process of cooking meth they enter and dangerous situation procedures. For example, if red phosphorous overheats, it creates phosphine gas, which is a highly toxic gas, but that’s not the chemical reaction that may create toxic gases, may other reaction end in what could be a fatal explosions, with even the smallest mistakes. Amphetamine is the most potent form, amphetamines was most commonly used 1930’s to treat mainly asthma and but these days it used for people with narcolepsy and ADHD. Forms of Crystal Methamphetamine are crystalline (ice or crystal) or a powder (speed). The difference is that the ice form is a more purified form unlike the powder, as they turn it into powder and the more refined it takes away the purity of the drug making it less effective than the ice. Short term effect of using Crystal Methamphetamines consisted of energy levels become higher, euphoria and wellbeing, attention and alertness become higher, increased talkativeness, increased heart rate/breathing and body temperature, decreased appetite, jaw clenching and teeth grinding a lot more, feeling nausea/vomiting, a dry mouth, nervousness/anxiety and paranoia. Heavy users may also be effected with blurred vision, tremors, irregular breathing, and loss of coordination and may collapse. Long term effects may consist of agitation/aggression, decreased motivation, depression or/and anxiety, poor concentration and memory, psychotic symptoms such as paranoia and hallucinations, disturbed sleep, weight loss, chest pains. Withdrawal symptoms also include feeling depressed, irritable, restless and lethargic, stomach cramps, nausea, a rapid heartbeat, hot and cold flushes. The symptoms of an overdose are nausea/vomiting chest pain, tremors, increased body temperature and heart rate, seizures, extreme paranoia, anxiety, panic and agitation, hallucinations and delirium. User who take crystal Methamphetamines via injection take a higher risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis B and C.Dopamine is a chemical that varies not only through the brain but also the entire body for example heart, lungs, muscles, kidneys, stomach, intestines, and the blood vessels, which is how it gains access. Depending where dopamine is in the body changes the role it’s playing. Dopamine increases in the body when the user takes crystal methamphetamine (Dopamine is a compound that is neurotransmitter throughout the body), dopamine starts directly in the brain by encouraging brain cells to release their dopamine stores and blocking the reuptake transporters that recycle dopamine that can be used for later on. The main reaction from crystal methamphetamine includes the overload of dopamine, with intense mood and also physiological effects. Crystal methamphetamine is known as the most potent stimulant because it increases dopamine in brain more than any other: in comparison cocaine increases dopamine in the brain by 400 percent, with crystal methamphetamine increasing by 1500 percent. The nucleus accumbency, an area of the brain highly connected with addictive drugs, uses dopamine to transfer information with another area known as ventral tegmentum (‘VTA’ is the midbrain structure that is rich in dopamine neurons and is an important part of the reward system). The connection with these two areas is called a mesolimbic pathway, also called as a nickname the “brain-reward circuit.” This circuit is strongly related to the need of feeling pleasure and can cause compulsive repetition of behaviour at it extreme, this compulsive repetition can become out of hand, causing it to lead into addiction. The more this drug is allowed to stimulate this pathway, the more addictive the drug tends to become. Crystal methamphetamine is the strongest way to stimulate this pathway than any other known drug. The release of supraphysiologic and dopamine is associated with the production, chemically reactive particles that cause cellular damage. This can encourage genetic mutations, cancer, cell death, and aging in the body. In the same way, free radicals are produced as the user damages brain cells, particularly in the basal ganglia(involved in coordination of movement) and connections to the prefrontal cortex as known as the part in front of the frontal lobe. These areas affect movement, memory, attention, and even the basic decision-making and impulse control that are needed to stay sober. The structural brain changes that result from crystal use make the tasks of relapse prevention and resisting cravings much more difficult.
The chemical structure of crystal is similar to other stimulants, such as amphetamine (Dexedrine and Adderall), pemoline (Cylert), as well as the hallucinogen methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) commonly known as ecstasy and also including legal drugs such as caffeine.
Pregnancy without the added chemicals contains a number complication just waiting for something to interfere, so when you add in the chemicals from the crystal methamphetamine starts up a whole new level of complications. Evidence shows that a crystal methamphetamine user can take a major toll on the development of the foetal affecting the offspring’s health long term and short term entering through the shared blood stream. When a user of crystal methamphetamine becomes pregnant they run a run risk of having an early labour that may place the offspring in a life or death situation due to odd bleeding, if on an off change the offspring survive with or without an early labour they have an increased risk of the offspring having strange abnormalities. Women during pregnancy genuinely have a changed in heart rate whether its increased or decreased, users increase the heart rate even more for not only them but also the offspring making it dangers for both of them, if unhelped this can lead the offspring into a life of kidney damage, heart problems, stroke and pre-eclampsia.
If the mother uses crystal methamphetamine close to birth the baby can possibly be born with symptoms of crystal methamphetamines users, and if the mother is a regular user of crystal methamphetamines or amphetamines they may also experience the feeling of withdrawal for the first few weeks before birth. Pregnant women with uncontrolled high blood pressure are at increased risk for eclampsia, Eclampsia is a serious condition that affects the placenta and can have an impact on the mother's kidneys, liver and her brain and can lead to death. Pregnant woman uses crystal methamphetamine may experience the placenta tearing away from the uterine wall that causes heavy bleeding in the mother also becoming deadly.
Studies shown higher complications in labour and delivery
50% of pregnant uses delivered their babies pre-term.
17% of pregnant who did not that delivered their babies pre-term.
29% of pregnant get a C-Section.
23% of pregnant who were not users required a C-Section.
DNA damage is quite often common, because the enzymes that are there to protect the foetus have not developed yet, and aren’t until the last weeks of pregnancy. So as the offspring goes through developing organ structures and mental functions is effected by raging crystal methamphetamines, causing DNA to make up with little defences to fighting to damage to those cells. The damages resulting in different disorders such as heart defects, mental abnormalities, physical deformities and sometimes death. Some off the lifelong issues includes the increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), low IQ, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, significant behavioural issues, increased aggression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Type 2 Diabetes, and many more.
Crystal methamphetamines is one of the biggest worldwide stimulant with the chemical structure is similar to other stimulants. With majorities of maker using ephedrine or pseudoephedrine mainly this drug has some of the easiest raw materials to purchase from local super markets and making it the most popular drug of choice around the world. Majority of the effects from crystal methamphetamines comes from the chemical reaction with dopamine that starts in the brain going to all the organs. HIV, hepatitis B and C is mostly contracted through being a user who injects this drug. The effect of taking crystal methamphetamine while pregnant plays a huge role short term and long term on how it may affects the offspring after, the effects are likely to start even before the offspring is born causing it to have major defects, knowing the information given can help if ever in the position where you need to help or be helped when it comes to crystal methamphetamine also well as pregnant.
Public education piece
My public education piece is an article to advise the general public of the information learned during this research assignment.
References
THE TRUTH ABOUT CRYSTAL METHhttp://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth.html
16/10/15
Owned by the Foundation for a Drug-Free World. http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/the-deadly-effects-of-meth.html
16/10/15
Ice, speed & other methamphetamines http://www.druginfo.sl.nsw.gov.au/drugs/list/methamphetamines.html
23/10/15
Steven J. Lee, M.D.
http://www.cyc-net.org/cyc-online/cycol-0406-lee.html
4/11/15
Lisa Schmidt, Advanced Emergency Medical Technicianhttp://pregnancy.lovetoknow.com/wiki/What_are_the_Effects_of_Crystal_Meth_during_Pregnancy
4/11/15
Thanks for building awareness about the effects of this dangerous drug Kymberly. It is also interesting to learn that it was given to soldiers in World War II!
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