Methamphetamine has historically been used in prescription medications to treat attention deficit disorder or for weight loss stimulation. Because it is a stimulant, methamphetamine causes a user to feel euphoric, energetic, and gives the user a sense of a job well done. Meth forces dopamine to flood the brain, making the user feel satisfied and peaceful. These positive feelings associated with the drug may quickly lead to a psychological dependence, which means that a user does not enjoy the way the feel when they are not under the influence of the drug, so they continue to take it even when the reason they began taking it has resolved (i.e. they have reached their ideal weight). The chemical effects on the brain also make the drug very highly chemically addictive, meaning the body becomes addicted to the drug quickly and may go through withdrawal symptoms once it does not have it. The effects of meth are so powerful, it can instantly create an addiction, leading to long-term consumption, where meth becomes the center of the user’s life. Over time, the drug completely destroys the ability of the brain to produce natural dopamine, so the user is incapable of experiencing pleasure in the absence of meth.
“Meth forces the brain to produce as much as 1,250 times the dopamine it produces during an activity like sexual intercourse. No other experience can compare to that first shot of meth … This compels users to relentlessly chase what they felt in their first experiences, a phenomenon known as ‘chasing the dragon.’ In reality, all they do is deepen their addictions.”
Most methamphetamines are not prescription medications, but are illicit street drugs, made illegally. Methamphetamine, which includes crank, crystal meth, glass, ice, or speed, is made synthetically by combining and cooking together various chemicals including ammonia, draino, battery acid, and over the counter medications. Some meth recipes are incredibly dangerous and there is no way to regulate the safety of the drug. Some meth makers mix cocaine, acid, ketamine, MDMA, codeine, or heroin to both heighten the effects of the drug and create co-addictions to sell more of their drugs; a very effective forced marketing skill. Manufacturers and dealers may also “cut” meth with products such as powdered milk, baking powder, or powdered metals to increase the quantity of product, cheaply. Adding anything can be extremely dangerous to the consumer and lead to poisoning, overdose, or death. These dangers have made meth a high priority for law enforcement.
One national survey reported that more than six percent of Americans have tried using methamphetamines at some point in their lives. In the Columbus area, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction reported that methamphetamine is “highly available and extremely easy to obtain,” both scoring 10s on a scale of 0 to 10. If you have found yourself a victim of the methamphetamine epidemic and are facing criminal charges of meth possession, there are some things you need to know. The Ohio legal system recognizes the challenges of addiction and offers assistance. With the right legal defense, you may be able to avoid jail time by attending an intense drug treatment program to overcome your addiction and reclaim your life. If you have been charged with possession of methamphetamines, do not let this devastating drug rob what life you have left. At Probst Law Office, we care about the citizens of Franklin County and advocate for addiction treatment over prison sentences. Call our criminal defense lawyers for a free consultation and see how we can turn your felony drug charge into recovery.
