Addiction Search Featured Topic - Crystal Meth Addiction, Treatment, Use and Recent Methamphetamine Research

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Oxycontin Addiction:
Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller used for moderate to high pain relief associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocations, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain and pain associated with cancer. It contains oxycodone, an opium derivative and is produced in a time released tablet. Oxycontin commonly referred to as OC, OX, Oxy, Oxycotton and kicker, was introduced in 1996 and has had a rapid escalation of abuse. The tablets can be chewed, crushed and snorted like cocaine, crushed and dissolved in water and then injected like heroin. The most serious side effect is respiratory depression, particularly dangerous for the elderly. Oxycontin addiction and demand has resulted in pharmacy robberies and forged prescriptions. The estimated number of people aged 12 or older with an oxycontin addiction has increased from 1.9 million in 2002, to 3.1 million in 2004. The largest increase occurred among young adults aged 18 to 25.

Drug Rehabilitation
Drug Rehabilitation is an umbrella term for a variety of processes by which a person addicted to a drug stops using that drug. These processes can vary from cold turkey to the use of substitute drugs which do not have the same action upon the state of consciousness as the original drug to which the person was addicted.

Binge Drinking:
According to a rent study conducted by Kathryn Graham, et al of the University of Western Ontario psychology department "Depression is most strongly related to a pattern of binge drinking," Binge Drinking is defined in the study as consuming at least 5 alcoholic beverages at one sitting. Whether Binge Drinking resulted in the development depression or whether depression contributed to a persons binge drinking was unclear in this study.

Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by a strong craving for alcohol, a constant or periodic reliance on use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, the inability to limit drinking, physical illness when drinking is stopped, and the need for increasing amounts of alcohol to feel its effects.

Xanax Addiction
- As one of the class of drugs benzodiazepines Xanax has been shown to be a dangerous drug to withdraw from. The reason that Xanax withdrawal is dangerous is that as a CNS depressant that slows neural activity in the brain when the drug is abruptly stopped brain activity can rebound and accelerate out of control. Prolonged Xanax users should not attempt to withdraw from the drug without medical supervision.

Featured Topic - Crystal Meth Addiction, Research and Treatment

Methamphetamine Use Research - Crystal Meth Addiction, Use and Treatment

The DASIS Report: Trends in Methamphetamine / Amphetamine Admissions to Treatment, 1993-2003

In 47 States*, methamphetamine was the primary drug in 86% of the combined methamphetamine/amphetamine treatment admissions in 2003.
Nationally, the rate of substance abuse treatment admissions for primary methamphetamine/amphetamine abuse increased between 1993 to 2003 from 13 per 100,000 to 56 admissions per 100,000 population aged 12 or older.
In 2003, 18 States had rates in excess of the national rate (56 admissions per 100,000 population). The highest rates were in Oregon (251 admissions per 100,000), Hawaii (241 per 100,000), Iowa (213 per 100,000), California (212 per 100,000), Wyoming (209 per 100,000), Utah (186 per 100,000), Nevada (176 per 100,000), Washington State (143 per 100,000), Montana (133 per 100,000), Arkansas (130 admissions per 100,000 population), Nebraska (118 per 100,000), and Oklahoma (117 per 100,000). All the rates for the States in the Northeast were 5 or less per 100,000 population.

*According to SAMHSA's Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), 47 of the 50 States distinguish between methamphetamines and amphetamines as primary substances of abuse in their reporting to TEDS. Arkansas, Oregon, and Texas do not distinguish between amphetamine and methamphetamine in their reporting of primary substance of abuse in treatment admissions.

The NSDUH Report: Methamphetamine Use, Abuse, and Dependence: 2002, 2003, and 2004*

In 2004, an estimated 1.4 million persons aged 12 or older (0.6% of the population) had used methamphetamine in the past year, and 600,000 persons (0.2% of the population) had used methamphetamine in the past month.
Although the number of past year and past month methamphetamine users did not change significantly between 2002 and 2004, the number of past month methamphetamine users who met criteria for abuse or dependence on one or more illicit drugs in the past year increased from 164,000 (27.5% of past month methamphetamine users) in 2002 to 346,000 (59.3%) in 2004.
The average age of first use among new methamphetamine users was 18.9 years in 2002, 20.4 years in 2003, and 22.1 years of age in 2004.

*Methamphetamine use as recorded by SAMHSA's National Survey on Drug Use and Health includes both prescription preparations (i.e., Desoxyn® and Methedrine) and non-prescription/illicit methamphetamine.

NIDA InfoFacts: Methamphetamine

http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/methamphetamine.html

Methamphetamine is an addictive stimulant drug that strongly activates certain systems in the brain. Methamphetamine is chemically related to amphetamine, but the central nervous system effects of methamphetamine are greater. Both drugs have some limited therapeutic uses, primarily in the treatment of obesity.

Methamphetamine is made in illegal laboratories and has a high potential for abuse and addiction. Street methamphetamine is referred to by many names, such as "speed," "crystal meth," and "chalk." Methamphetamine hydrochloride, clear chunky crystals resembling ice, which can be inhaled by smoking, is referred to as "ice," "crystal," "glass," and "tina."

Health Hazards

Methamphetamine releases high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which stimulates brain cells, enhancing mood and body movement. It also appears to have a neurotoxic effect, damaging brain cells that contain dopamine as well as serotonin, another neurotransmitter. Over time, methamphetamine appears to cause reduced levels of dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson’s disease, a severe movement disorder. Dopamine- and serotonin-containing neurons do not die after methamphetamine use observed in animal research, but the nerve endings (“terminals”) are cut back, and regrowth appears to be limited.

Methamphetamine is taken orally or intranasally (snorting the powder), by intravenous injection, and by smoking. Immediately after smoking or intravenous injection, the methamphetamine user experiences an intense sensation, called a “rush” or “flash,” that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Oral or intranasal use produces euphoria—a high, but not a rush. Users may become addicted quickly, and use it with increasing frequency and in increasing doses.

The central nervous system (CNS) actions that result from taking even small amounts of methamphetamine include increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, hyperthermia, and euphoria. Other CNS effects include irritability, insomnia, confusion, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, and aggressiveness. Hyperthermia and convulsions can result in death.

Methamphetamine causes increased heart rate and blood pressure and can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. Other effects of methamphetamine include respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat, and extreme anorexia. Its use can result in cardiovascular collapse and death.

Extent of Use

Monitoring the Future Study (MTF)*
MTF assesses the extent of drug use among adolescents (8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders) and young adults across the country. Recent data from the survey indicate the following:

• In 2004, 6.2 percent of high school seniors had reported lifetime** use of methamphetamine, statistically unchanged from 2003. Lifetime use was measured at 5.3 percent of 10th grade students.
• Eighth-graders reported significant decreases in lifetime, annual, and 30-day use.
Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG)**
Results reported at the most recent CEWG meetings indicate that methamphetamine abuse and production continue at high levels in Hawaii, west coast areas, and some southwestern areas of the United States—but methamphetamine abuse also is continuing to spread eastward.

The percentage of adult male arrestees testing methamphetamine-positive in 2003 were highest in Honolulu (40.3 percent), Phoenix (38.3) San Diego (36.2), and Los Angeles (28.7).

Several other items of significance were reported, as follows:
• The numbers of clandestine methamphetamine laboratory incidents reported to the National Clandestine Laboratory Database decreased from 1999 to 2004. During this same period, methamphetamine lab incidents increased in midwestern States (Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio), and in Pennsylvania. In 2004, more lab incidents were reported in Illinois (926) than in California (673). In 2003, methamphetamine lab incidents reached new highs in Georgia (250), Minnesota (309), and Texas (677). There were only seven methamphetamine lab incidents reported in Hawaii in 2004.
• In the first 6 months of 2004, nearly 59 percent of substance abuse treatment admissions (excluding alcohol) in Hawaii were for primary methamphetamine abuse. San Diego followed, with nearly 51 percent. Notable increases in methamphetamine treatment admissions occurred in Atlanta (10.6 percent in the first 6 months of 2004, as compared with 2.5 percent in 2001) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (18.7 percent in the first 6 months of 2004, as compared with 10.6 percent in 2001).
• Some MDMA (ecstasy) and cocaine users are switching to methamphetamine, ignorant of its severe toxicity.
• In many gay clubs found throughout New York City and elsewhere, methamphetamine is often used in an injectable form, placing users and their partners at risk for transmission of HIV, hepatitis C, and other STDs.

National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH)****
According to the 2003 NSDUH, 12.3 million Americans age 12 and older had tried methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes (5.2 percent of the population), with the majority of past-year users between 18 and 34 years of age. Significant decreases in past year use were seen among 12- to 17-year-olds.

* These data are from the 2003 Monitoring the Future Survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, and conducted by the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research. The survey has tracked 12th-graders' illicit drug use and related attitudes since 1975; in 1991, 8th- and 10th-graders were added to the study. The latest data are online at www.drugabuse.gov.

** "Lifetime" refers to use at least once during a respondent's lifetime. "Annual" refers to use at least once during the year preceding an individual's response to the survey. "30-day" refers to use at least once during the 30 days preceding an individual's response to the survey.

*** CEWG is a NIDA-sponsored network of researchers from 21 major U.S. metropolitan areas and selected foreign countries who meet semiannually to discuss the latest epidemiology of drug abuse. CEWG's most recent reports are available at http://www.drugabuse.gov/about/organization/cewg/pubs.html.

**** NSDUH (formerly known as the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse) is an annual survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Findings from the latest survey are available at www.samhsa.gov.

Revised 5/05