This report outlines the effects of methamphetamine on the brain and as a consequence of that, methamphetamines affects the user’s physical health and lifespan.
Prolonged use of methamphetamines leads to not only a change of chemistry in the brain, but drastic physical changes. Physical health is crucial to society; when an individual is comatose in hospital due to a drug overdose, it costs hundreds of taxpayers’ dollars to nurse them back to health. Methamphetamine addicts can expect to only live for another five to ten years after first consumption of the drug. Most people begin to experiment with drugs in their mid-teens to early twenties; this places life expectancy of an addict between their thirties and forties, in contrast to the eighty to eighty-five-year life expectancy for a non-addict. Methamphetamine addicts create a big strain on the health care system as they need regular medical assistance. Taxpayers are having their hard earned money wasted on someone who could have prevented their health issues. This is creates outrage among the public.
To gain a thorough understanding of how methamphetamine affects the brain, physical health and lifespan, this report includes methamphetamines chemical properties, one of the more common methods of synthesizing the drug and the dangers of producing the drug. It then goes on to detail methamphetamine’s effects on the reward pathway, as well as the long-term and short-term consequences of abusing this substance.
Methamphetamine was first manufactured early twentieth century by Japanese chemists. Before becoming available to the general populace, it played a large role in world war two— thanks to its ability to create a feeling of alertness and well being. High doses were administered to soldiers to stave off fatigue and increase their physical performance. Prior to its banning, methamphetamine was used to treat a number of conditions like asthma, narcolepsy, obesity, and even heroin addiction. Methamphetamine today is still prescribed for medical purposes, however it is illegal in most countries and the few that do condone the use of methamphetamine require the user have a prescription for the drug.
Addicts are still able to get their fix in a number of ways, as it can be injected, smoked, snorted, or ingested orally. With easy access to something as mundane as common cold medications, methamphetamine can easily be synthesized. Those seeking to synthesise methamphetamine don’t have to look hard for the ingredients. Ephedrine (one of the main chemicals used in the synthesis of methamphetamine) is also a used as a component in nasal decongestant medications, such as Sudafed.
A common way for methamphetamine to be synthesized is through the reduction of ephedrine via the Nagai route (See figure 2). The Nagai route utilizes hydrogen iodide to iodinate the ephedrine and form iodoephedrine. Then red phosphorus consumes the iodine, resulting in a final product of methamphetamine that is ninety-five percent pure.
Many things can go wrong during the production of methamphetamine. Often times amateur chemists suffer chemical burns, or create explosions, endangering not only themselves, but others around them. This is a result of the fact that more often than not, they are under the influence of drugs themselves. The reaction used to create methamphetamine often yields toxic waste which, if a person is exposed to it for a long enough period of time, can result in illness.
Post ingesting the drug, there is a delay until the methamphetamine takes effect on the user’s brain. If the drug is smoked or injected the effect can take up to two minutes, and lasts up to three hours. Snorting the drug results in a five to ten-minute wait for the drug to take effect and a two to four hour ‘high’. Oral intake of methamphetamine produces the longest ‘high’ period, of up to five hours, but it also takes the longest to take effect (Twenty to seventy minutes).
Once methamphetamine enters the brain it can easily be mistaken for dopamine and thus can change the function of neurons containing dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine. These chemical changes in the brain are the catalysts for many of the psychological issues associated with methamphetamine. Under the guise of dopamine, methamphetamine can deceive neurons into taking it up like they would for dopamine. Once inside the neuron, it stimulates the release of excess dopamine and blocks the removal of the dopamine from the synaptic space. Of all illicit drugs, methamphetamine triggers the release of the most dopamine. When high, the user’s levels of dopamine rise to 1,250 units. To put that into perspective, taking cocaine only produces 350 units. The excess dopamine in the synaptic space overstimulates the dopamine receptors to create the prolonged high that often comes with consumption of drugs. One hit of methamphetamine is enough to cause addiction; this is because of the strong sensation of euphoria that comes with the 1,250 units of dopamine the brain on methamphetamine releases. Over time the dopamine receptors become damaged and increasingly higher doses of the drug must be taken to achieve the same high. One-time users will inevitably continue to abuse the substance in search of their next high.
Short term, the drug generates a sense of wellbeing and energises the user for the duration of its effects. Some sports people turn to methamphetamine in a bid to increase their stamina and physical performance. However, the false sense of well-being causes the user to push their body past it’s normal limits or even ignore an injury. After the effects of methamphetamine wears off users often experience a ‘crash’ period in which they can potentially suffer a mental or physical break down.
Methamphetamine causes many mental health problems with physical manifestations that can easily become long-term problems if the drug taking persists. The increased levels of aggression, impaired judgement and boost of confidence that come with a hit of methamphetamine are dangerous to the user and people around them. It increases the chance of the user partaking in risky behaviours that they would never attempt when sober, such as initiating a fight or partaking in unprotected sex.
Long term, many methamphetamine addicts suffer from insomnia, a disorder that causes difficulty falling (and staying) asleep; the lack of sleep contributes to poor health and premature aging. Methamphetamine shrinks blood vessels in the body, and restricts blood flow. This restricted blood flow inhibits the body’s ability to heal itself. Paired with addicts’ tendencies to pick at their skin and rotted teeth, or ‘meth mouth’, this gives the user a zombie-like appearance.
As a stimulant, methamphetamine ups the heart rate and increases blood sugar and pressure. This increases the chance for the user to suffer a heart attack, as the heart is working harder than it normally would be. Continued use of methamphetamine suppresses feelings of hunger, resulting in extreme weight-loss. The malnutrition gives an emaciated appearance, and the lack of nutrients can cause balding or hair breakage, further contributing to the poor physical health and appearance of the user.
Addictions to drugs break the user's trust in others and puts tension on relationship, creating a feeling of isolation that often makes it hard for the addict to seek help. This only leads to further deterioration of the user’s physical health, and drastically shortens the lifespan and reduces quality of life.
DRS (n.d.) What is the life expectancy of a methamphetamine addict? Retrieved from: http://www.drugrehab.ca/what-is-the-life-expectancy-of-a-methamphetamine-addict.html
Foundation for a drug free world. (2016). What is meth made of? Retrieved from: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/what-is-meth-made-from.html
Foundation for a drug free world. (2016). The deadly effects of meth. Retrieved from:
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/the-deadly-effects-of-meth.html
Green, H. [SciShow]. (November 12, 2012) The Chemistry of Addiction [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukFjH9odsXw
Harnisch, F. Salthammer, T. (30 October, 2013) Synthesis of N-Methylamphetamine – Part of The Chemistry of Breaking Bad. Retrieved from:
http://www.chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/5424491/.html
Stojanovska, N. Fu, S. Tahtouh, M. Kelly, T. Beavis, A. Kirkbride, K. P. (2013) A review of impurity profiling, Forensic Science International 224 8–26.
Wikibooks (9 April 2016). Structural Biochemistry/Methamphetamine. Retrieved from: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Structural_Biochemistry/Methamphetamine
Wikipedia. (27 September, 2016) Methamphetamine. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine
Prolonged use of methamphetamines leads to not only a change of chemistry in the brain, but drastic physical changes. Physical health is crucial to society; when an individual is comatose in hospital due to a drug overdose, it costs hundreds of taxpayers’ dollars to nurse them back to health. Methamphetamine addicts can expect to only live for another five to ten years after first consumption of the drug. Most people begin to experiment with drugs in their mid-teens to early twenties; this places life expectancy of an addict between their thirties and forties, in contrast to the eighty to eighty-five-year life expectancy for a non-addict. Methamphetamine addicts create a big strain on the health care system as they need regular medical assistance. Taxpayers are having their hard earned money wasted on someone who could have prevented their health issues. This is creates outrage among the public.
To gain a thorough understanding of how methamphetamine affects the brain, physical health and lifespan, this report includes methamphetamines chemical properties, one of the more common methods of synthesizing the drug and the dangers of producing the drug. It then goes on to detail methamphetamine’s effects on the reward pathway, as well as the long-term and short-term consequences of abusing this substance.
Background
Methamphetamine (N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine) is a highly addictive stimulant drug with the chemical formula C10H15N. It has a molar mass of 149.24, a melting point of 170 to 175 °C and a boiling point of 212 °C. At room temperature, methamphetamine comes in the form of crystals with an appearance similar to glass or a white crystalline powder.
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| Figure 1: The structure of methamphetamine. CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine#/media/File:Racemic_methamphetamine.svg |
Methamphetamine was first manufactured early twentieth century by Japanese chemists. Before becoming available to the general populace, it played a large role in world war two— thanks to its ability to create a feeling of alertness and well being. High doses were administered to soldiers to stave off fatigue and increase their physical performance. Prior to its banning, methamphetamine was used to treat a number of conditions like asthma, narcolepsy, obesity, and even heroin addiction. Methamphetamine today is still prescribed for medical purposes, however it is illegal in most countries and the few that do condone the use of methamphetamine require the user have a prescription for the drug.
Addicts are still able to get their fix in a number of ways, as it can be injected, smoked, snorted, or ingested orally. With easy access to something as mundane as common cold medications, methamphetamine can easily be synthesized. Those seeking to synthesise methamphetamine don’t have to look hard for the ingredients. Ephedrine (one of the main chemicals used in the synthesis of methamphetamine) is also a used as a component in nasal decongestant medications, such as Sudafed.
A common way for methamphetamine to be synthesized is through the reduction of ephedrine via the Nagai route (See figure 2). The Nagai route utilizes hydrogen iodide to iodinate the ephedrine and form iodoephedrine. Then red phosphorus consumes the iodine, resulting in a final product of methamphetamine that is ninety-five percent pure.
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| Figure 2: Synthesis of methamphetamine via Nagai route. CC BY-SA 3.0. Retrieved from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HI,P_Reduction_of_Ephedrine.png |
Many things can go wrong during the production of methamphetamine. Often times amateur chemists suffer chemical burns, or create explosions, endangering not only themselves, but others around them. This is a result of the fact that more often than not, they are under the influence of drugs themselves. The reaction used to create methamphetamine often yields toxic waste which, if a person is exposed to it for a long enough period of time, can result in illness.
Post ingesting the drug, there is a delay until the methamphetamine takes effect on the user’s brain. If the drug is smoked or injected the effect can take up to two minutes, and lasts up to three hours. Snorting the drug results in a five to ten-minute wait for the drug to take effect and a two to four hour ‘high’. Oral intake of methamphetamine produces the longest ‘high’ period, of up to five hours, but it also takes the longest to take effect (Twenty to seventy minutes).
Once methamphetamine enters the brain it can easily be mistaken for dopamine and thus can change the function of neurons containing dopamine, serotonin or norepinephrine. These chemical changes in the brain are the catalysts for many of the psychological issues associated with methamphetamine. Under the guise of dopamine, methamphetamine can deceive neurons into taking it up like they would for dopamine. Once inside the neuron, it stimulates the release of excess dopamine and blocks the removal of the dopamine from the synaptic space. Of all illicit drugs, methamphetamine triggers the release of the most dopamine. When high, the user’s levels of dopamine rise to 1,250 units. To put that into perspective, taking cocaine only produces 350 units. The excess dopamine in the synaptic space overstimulates the dopamine receptors to create the prolonged high that often comes with consumption of drugs. One hit of methamphetamine is enough to cause addiction; this is because of the strong sensation of euphoria that comes with the 1,250 units of dopamine the brain on methamphetamine releases. Over time the dopamine receptors become damaged and increasingly higher doses of the drug must be taken to achieve the same high. One-time users will inevitably continue to abuse the substance in search of their next high.
Discussion
Methamphetamine has many effects on the user’s physical health, both long term and short term.Short term, the drug generates a sense of wellbeing and energises the user for the duration of its effects. Some sports people turn to methamphetamine in a bid to increase their stamina and physical performance. However, the false sense of well-being causes the user to push their body past it’s normal limits or even ignore an injury. After the effects of methamphetamine wears off users often experience a ‘crash’ period in which they can potentially suffer a mental or physical break down.
Methamphetamine causes many mental health problems with physical manifestations that can easily become long-term problems if the drug taking persists. The increased levels of aggression, impaired judgement and boost of confidence that come with a hit of methamphetamine are dangerous to the user and people around them. It increases the chance of the user partaking in risky behaviours that they would never attempt when sober, such as initiating a fight or partaking in unprotected sex.
Long term, many methamphetamine addicts suffer from insomnia, a disorder that causes difficulty falling (and staying) asleep; the lack of sleep contributes to poor health and premature aging. Methamphetamine shrinks blood vessels in the body, and restricts blood flow. This restricted blood flow inhibits the body’s ability to heal itself. Paired with addicts’ tendencies to pick at their skin and rotted teeth, or ‘meth mouth’, this gives the user a zombie-like appearance.
As a stimulant, methamphetamine ups the heart rate and increases blood sugar and pressure. This increases the chance for the user to suffer a heart attack, as the heart is working harder than it normally would be. Continued use of methamphetamine suppresses feelings of hunger, resulting in extreme weight-loss. The malnutrition gives an emaciated appearance, and the lack of nutrients can cause balding or hair breakage, further contributing to the poor physical health and appearance of the user.
Addictions to drugs break the user's trust in others and puts tension on relationship, creating a feeling of isolation that often makes it hard for the addict to seek help. This only leads to further deterioration of the user’s physical health, and drastically shortens the lifespan and reduces quality of life.
Conclusion
This report has covered the synthesis of methamphetamine from ephedrine through the Nagai reduction reaction, with red phosphorus and hydrogen iodide, the effects that methamphetamine has on the mind of the user and the reward pathway. From there, the negative side effects on the health of a methamphetamine user. Methamphetamine addiction causes many detrimental health problems. Careless use of the drug creates the potential for convulsions that potentially lead to death. Long-term, an addict’s chances of having a heart attack, stroke or sustaining some kind of brain damage are greatly increased, thus shortening the lifespan. Being a highly addictive drug causes difficulties for addicts trying to come clean. It may make the user feel on top of the world, but they are far from it.Public Education Piece
The public education piece accompanying this report is a brochure to educate the general populace on the dangers of methamphetamine addictions, signs and symptoms of addiction, and where they or the person affected can seek help.References
Block, A. T. (2016). (2S)-N-methyl-1-phenyl-propan-2-amine. Retrieved from: https://myorganicchemistry.wikispaces.com/MethamphetamineDRS (n.d.) What is the life expectancy of a methamphetamine addict? Retrieved from: http://www.drugrehab.ca/what-is-the-life-expectancy-of-a-methamphetamine-addict.html
Foundation for a drug free world. (2016). What is meth made of? Retrieved from: http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/what-is-meth-made-from.html
Foundation for a drug free world. (2016). The deadly effects of meth. Retrieved from:
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/the-deadly-effects-of-meth.html
Green, H. [SciShow]. (November 12, 2012) The Chemistry of Addiction [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukFjH9odsXw
Harnisch, F. Salthammer, T. (30 October, 2013) Synthesis of N-Methylamphetamine – Part of The Chemistry of Breaking Bad. Retrieved from:
http://www.chemistryviews.org/details/ezine/5424491/.html
Stojanovska, N. Fu, S. Tahtouh, M. Kelly, T. Beavis, A. Kirkbride, K. P. (2013) A review of impurity profiling, Forensic Science International 224 8–26.
Wikibooks (9 April 2016). Structural Biochemistry/Methamphetamine. Retrieved from: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Structural_Biochemistry/Methamphetamine
Wikipedia. (27 September, 2016) Methamphetamine. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine
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