classbhero wrote:
meth is available on prescription in america in low doses as an ADD or ADHD medication. clever ppl over in the US int they lol. i believe this is the case anyway…… might be wrong
Don’t think meth is – you are maybe mistaking it with dex-amfetamine (dexies) which is a prescription drug for ADD in the US and here (meth-amfetamine is also called methidrine – dex-amfetamine sometimes dexidrine.)
Here is some extra info, as there seems to be some confusion as to what meth is or is not:
Crystal meth is usually one of the stereoisomers of methamphetamine hydrochloride (n-methamphetamine, d-methamphetamine, n-isomethamphetamine, and d-isomethamphetamine), and is often referred to as “crystal” or “crystal meth”, “ice”, occasionally “methidrine”, and lots of other confusing names. It is a clear crystalline solid.
The freebase form of meth (also sometimes known as “ice”, “crystal” etc) is without a salt base, and is (AFAIK) a yellowish/orange crystalline substance (it is sometimes mistakenly described as a yellowish oil – possibly due to a common production technique dissolving the freebase in ether prior to turning it into the salt)
Most of the problem (not caused by lack of info) with meth in the states stems from the fact they made the precursor chemicals needed to make amp-sulf illegal in the US (principally N-butylamine). The result was “bedroom chemists” looking for other ways to synthesize speed, and coming across a method that can be used to create meth (based on a reduction of pseudoephidrine with hydroiodic acid) – this creates the D-methylated version – d-methamphetamine hydrochloride (the D form is generally considered to be the strongest of the different stereoisomers).
The main overdose risk stems from the strength more than anything – those who die from amphetamine toxicity usually do so because they push their body for too long while bombarding it with diuretics that stop it from de-toxing properly. Coupled with the constriction of blood flow that is also a result of taking stimulants, the kidneys eventually cease to be able to cope with the load – the eventual outcome being large scale organ failure.
With the weaker unmethylated version (amp sulf), the general wear inflicted on the body usually causes you to stop well before the toxicity point (amphetamine sulfate is often considered more “taxing” on the body than meth). With the stronger methylated version, you can go right through the toxicity point, and not even notice – this coupled with the more extreme effect (in terms of vaso-constriction and diuresis) probably accounts for the higher mortality rate. Like anything, it is easier to get the dose wrong if the dose required is smaller (you can die from drinking whisky, but doing it with lager is much more difficult)….
The freebase form (the one you smoke) is similar to the hydrochloride form (most street meth is methamphetamine hydrochloride), but without the last stage of production performed. If you were to smoke the salt form (hydrochloride, sulfate etc), first it wouldn’t work very well (as the molecule would be broken down into CO2 by the combustion process), and it would be bad for your lungs (as the other by-product of combustion would be chlorine or sulfur based oxides). The freebase is a more stable molecule, and sublimes to smoke before it breaks down. The reason it is turned into the salt form is that the salt is better absorbed by the body, and can be dissolved into solution easily. The freebase is used obviously because smoking gets it into the body more quickly than other methods short of injection – similar to the case with coke and crack (crack is the freebase and smokable form of cocaine hydrochloride).
Meth AFAIK was originally synthesized in WWII as a cheaper way of providing the stimulants both sides made in huge quantities, and has AFAIK never had a medical use.
Meth is essentially the same as any other stimulant, and you should take the same precautions with all – Keep in mind that “stronger” is not the same as “better” though, but does often equate to more dangerous (and certainly does so with meth). If you are going to take it, start with a little (you can always take more, but taking less is difficult after the fact), and if you’ve been awake 5 days, it’s probably time to stop and let your body get some time to recover (no matter what it tells you about being able to go for another week:crazy:). Be aware of any of the signs of OD etc, and remember in the event something bad happens – get to a hospital quickly, and tell the doctor what you’ve taken. It may save your life, and you won’t get into any extra trouble for telling them (they’re under oath to keep it private, and you can’t be nicked for posession of something you’ve already taken in the UK anyway).
