THE DOPE DOULA

Substance Information Sheet

METHAMPHETAMINE

N-Methylamphetamine, also known as Methamphetamine, Ma, Meth, Glass, Ice, Shard, Crank, Tina, T, Tweak, Yaba, and Crystal, belongs to the classical stimulant category within the amphetamine class. Structurally similar to amphetamine, it exhibits rapid penetration of the blood-brain barrier owing to its relatively high lipid solubility. Its mode of action involves elevating levels of neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain.

First synthesized from ephedrine in 1893 by Japanese chemist Nagayoshi Nagai, Methamphetamine has gained notoriety alongside heroin and cocaine as a dangerous and highly addictive street drug. Subjective effects include enhanced motivation and stamina, appetite suppression, heightened libido, and euphoria. Prolonged high-dose use may induce anxiety, paranoia, delusions, thought disorganization, psychosis, and violent behavior. Compulsive redosing, especially through vaporization or injection, is common due to the intense euphoric rush upon initial administration.

Methamphetamine is renowned for its extremely high abuse and addiction potential, often considered one of the most addictive substances due to its profound euphoric effects. Unlike therapeutic doses of amphetamine, moderate to heavy recreational use of methamphetamine is directly neurotoxic to humans, causing damage to dopamine and serotonin neurons in the central nervous system. In nonhuman mammals, degeneration of monoaminergic terminals and neuronal apoptosis (cell death) have been observed. These neurotoxic effects extend to humans, alongside cardiotoxicity characterized by increased blood pressure and heightened risk of stroke and heart attack.

Class Membership

Psychoactive class - Stimulant

Chemical class - Amphetamine

CRITICAL WARNING

Neurotoxicity

Evidence suggests that long-term use of methamphetamine in humans can lead to brain damage, characterized by adverse alterations in brain structure and function. These changes include reductions in gray matter volume in various brain regions and negative alterations in markers of metabolic integrity. Unlike amphetamine, methamphetamine directly harms dopamine neurons, contributing to its neurotoxic effects. Additionally, methamphetamine abuse raises the risk of Parkinson's disease due to excessive pre-synaptic dopamine autoxidation, a mechanism of neurotoxicity. Similar to its impact on dopamine neurons, methamphetamine can also induce neurotoxicity in serotonin neurons. Research has shown that elevated core body temperature is associated with increased neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine. Consequently, chronic methamphetamine use may lead to post-acute withdrawals that persist for months or even up to a year beyond the withdrawal period due to the neurotoxic effects on dopamine neurons.

DANGEROUS COMBINATIONS

INTERACTIONS

Alcohol: Combining alcohol with stimulants is considered risky as it diminishes the sedative effects of alcohol that typically help gauge intoxication levels. This often leads to excessive drinking with reduced inhibitions, raising the risk of liver damage and dehydration. Stimulants can also delay the onset of passing out from alcohol, further increasing risk. If combined, it's advisable to set hourly drinking limits, considering that the effects of both substances may be less noticeable.

GHB/GBL: Stimulants increase respiration rate, allowing for higher sedative doses. If the stimulant wears off before the depressant effects of GHB/GBL, respiratory arrest may occur.

Opioids: Stimulants also increase respiration rate, potentially permitting higher opioid doses. If the stimulant effects diminish first, the opioid may overpower the individual, leading to respiratory arrest.

Cocaine: The rewarding effects of cocaine involve dopamine activity inhibition. Amphetamines alter dopamine transport, counteracting normal dopamine release mechanisms, and potentially leading to cardiac issues due to serotonin-related valve complications. This combination may induce hypertension and increase syncope risk due to turbulent blood flow during valve operation.

Cannabis: Stimulants heighten anxiety levels, thought loops, and paranoia, potentially leading to negative experiences when combined with cannabis.

Caffeine: Combining stimulants like caffeine is generally unnecessary and may strain the heart, induce anxiety, and cause physical discomfort.

Tramadol: Both tramadol and stimulants increase seizure risk.

DXM: Both substances elevate heart rate, with panic attacks potentially leading to serious heart issues in extreme cases.

Ketamine: Combining amphetamine and ketamine may result in psychosis resembling schizophrenia, mainly due to their effects on dopamine activity and executive functioning disruption.

PCP and Methoxetamine: Both increase the risk of tachycardia, hypertension, and manic states.

Psychedelics (e.g., LSD, mescaline, psilocybin): Stimulants heighten the risk of anxiety, paranoia, and thought loops when combined with psychedelics.

25x-NBOMe: The combined stimulation of amphetamines and NBOMes may lead to tachycardia, hypertension, vasoconstriction, and potential heart failure. Stimulants' anxiogenic effects may exacerbate negative experiences with psychedelics.

2C-T-x and 5-MeO-xxT: Suspected of having mild MAOI properties, increasing the risk of hypertensive crisis.

DOx and aMT: Both have MAOI properties that may interact unfavourably with amphetamines.

MAOIs: MAO-B inhibitors can potentiate phenethylamines unpredictably, while MAO-A inhibitors with amphetamines may lead to hypertensive crises.

IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

Psychosis and mental disorder risk

Methamphetamine abuse can lead to a condition known as stimulant psychosis, characterized by symptoms such as paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions. Research indicates that approximately 5-15% of users do not fully recover from this condition. Antipsychotic medications have been shown to effectively alleviate the symptoms of acute amphetamine psychosis, according to at least one trial referenced in a review on treatment for amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and methamphetamine abuse-induced psychosis. It's worth noting that psychosis rarely occurs as a result of therapeutic use.

overdose

An overdose of methamphetamine can lead to a broad spectrum of symptoms and is potentially fatal at high doses. A moderate overdose may cause abnormalities in heart rhythm, confusion, difficulty urinating, fluctuations in blood pressure, elevated body temperature, heightened reflexes, muscle pain, severe restlessness, rapid breathing, trembling, and urinary problems like hesitancy or retention. In cases of extremely large overdoses, symptoms may include an adrenergic storm, methamphetamine-induced psychosis, absence of urine production (anuria), shock due to heart failure, bleeding in the brain (cerebral haemorrhage), the collapse of the circulatory system, extreme fever, high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), kidney failure, breakdown of muscle tissue (rhabdomyolysis), serotonin syndrome, and a repetitive behavioural pattern known as "tweaking." Additionally, a methamphetamine overdose typically results in mild brain damage due to toxicity to dopamine and serotonin neurons. Death from fatal methamphetamine poisoning often follows convulsions and a state of unconsciousness (coma).

harm reduction

Research has demonstrated that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has the potential to mitigate the detrimental neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine in rats and prevent the depletion of neurotransmitters. Clinical trials are currently being conducted in humans to investigate the efficacy of NAC in treating methamphetamine dependence. Furthermore, NAC may help reduce cravings and psychological dependence. Due to its short half-life, a sustained-release formulation of NAC might be preferred for harm reduction purposes. Additionally, selenium has shown promise in safeguarding the brain against methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity. It's important to note, however, that this data is preliminary and its applicability to humans may vary.

methamatics

additional info

Coming down from meth can make you feel lethargic, anxious, and depressed, which can lead to compulsive redo-sing.
Some people enter into patterns of multi-day binge use in an attempt to obtain meth’s euphoric rush. The risk of binging is drastically increased with shorter-acting and more intense routes of administration like smoking, injecting, or hot railing.
Long-term, regular, high-dose meth use can cause damage to dopamine neurone, resulting in Parkinson’s-like symptoms such as twitching, stuttering, and muscle spasms.
Meth is very long lasting, which can make it difficult or impossible to sleep. Sleep deprivation can have serious negative impacts on physical and mental health. Psychosis and paranoid delusions are a common consequence of anyone being awake for three or more days or chronically sleep-deprived, regardless of whether they’re on drugs.

METH | CRYSTAL | TIK | SHINE | SPEED | ICE

Substance Information Sheet

METHAMPHETAMINE

Class Membership

CRITICAL WARNING

Neurotoxicity

DANGEROUS COMBINATIONS

INTERACTIONS

IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

methamatics

additional info

stimulant withdrawal at home

Special Thanks to

NOTICE

attention:

METH | CRYSTAL | TIK | SHINE | SPEED | ICE

Substance Information Sheet

METHAMPHETAMINE

Class Membership

CRITICAL WARNING

Neurotoxicity

DANGEROUS COMBINATIONS

INTERACTIONS

IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS

methamatics

additional info

stimulant withdrawal at home

Special Thanks to

NOTICE

attention:

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