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Methamphetamine Frequently Asked Questions

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http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/Amphetamines/meth-faq.html

Methamphetamine Frequently Asked Questions

deadlock@paranoia.com April 15, 1996

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Abstract
Surprisingly, there does not appear to be a comprehensive source of information
relating to methamphetamine. While no list is ever complete, this one attempts to
answer technical questions related to the chemical methamphetamine. Unfortunately,


there tends to be a great deal of street lore that is blatantly wrong about
methamphetamine and similar compounds. This document also attempts to point out
some of the more common myths, and provide rational explanations.

Disclaimer

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Do not use this information. I am not a chemist. This is for informational
purposes only. Use of this information for illegal purposes is not condoned. The
author makes no warranty, expressed or implied, of the suitability of this
information for any particular purpose. The author does not endorse the abuse of
any drugs, legal or otherwise. This information has been gathered from openly
available sources. This is a preliminary document and should be considered
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fictitious until proven otherwise.

Overview
Methamphetamine (also known as speed, meth, crystal, crank, and sometimes
confusingly called ice) is a chemical widely known for its stimulant properties on
the human body. It is frequently confused with other drugs that share similar
symptoms, including amphetamine, 4-methyl-aminorex, ephedrine, caffeine, and other
chemicals, both legal and illegal.

Terminology
In this document, we shall refer to the drugs by their common chemical names,
rather than by "street names", since the street names do not have a one-to-one
correspondence to actual chemicals. For example, the term "speed" can mean
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methamphetamine or amphetamine. The term "ice" is generally considered to apply to
4-methyl-aminorex, but is often used to refer to relatively pure (and in some
cases, not so pure) forms of methamphetamine.

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Methamphetamine Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/Amphetamines/meth-faq.html

We shall use the term "methamphetamine" to refer to the substance in either its
free base (i.e. simple, unadorned) or salt (usually hydrochloride) form. When
precision is needed, we shall explicitly state one form or the other.

Pharmacology
This is one of the most difficult sections to write, partially because there is
very little "science" involved. The literature gives conflicting reports, due to
the fact that many criterion are subjective, and probably also due to confusion
over terminology. The pharmacological effects of methamphetamine are very similar
to those of similarly structured molecules.

Administration
Methamphetamine can be taken orally, snorted, smoked or injected, in approximately
increasing order of immediacy of onset.

Onset
Onset can be immediate (in the case of injection), or can take as long as 30-40
minutes if ingested orally.

Duration
Duration is subjective, but is probably on the order of 4 - 8 hours. Delayed
absorption (for example, due to oral ingestion) can prolong the effects relative
to time of administration. Of course, larger doses last longer due to the fact
that it is removed from the blood at a finite rate.

Plasma Life
The length of time that methamphetamine will stay in the plasma (blood) is between
4 to 6 hours. It can be detected in the urine one hour after use and up to 48
hours after use.

Dosage
A toxic reaction (or overdose) can occur at relatively low levels, 50 milligrams
of pure drug for a non-tolerant user. Different peoples' metabolisms work at
different rates, and drug strengths vary, so there is no way of stating a "safe"
or "unsafe" level of use.

Effects
These include euphoria, hyperexcitability, extreme nervousness, accelerated
heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, restlessness, insomnia, tooth grinding, incessant
talking, and other effects. Methamphetamine and other CNS stimulants have strong
bronchodilation effects. Vasoconstriction (tightening of blood vessels) and pupil
dilation are also common. Elevated blood pressure, heart rate, and other general
symptoms of increased sympathetic nervous activity. The physical effects are
almost assuredly due to interactions between the amphetamine structure and human
physiology, probably due to the similarity to adrenaline (epinephrine).
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Methamphetamine Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.lycaeum.org/drugs/Amphetamines/meth-faq.html

Mental capacity is not diminished directly by the drug. In fact, some studies have
shown slight increases in mental capacity on simple tasks. It has been prescribed
for attention deficit disorder, among other things. Confusing reports here tend to
center around the effects of fatigue on mental capacity. Emotional responses may
range from euphoria to anger and paranoia. Preliminary doses tend to produce the
former, while continued use (e.g. for three or more days) tends to produce the
latter. It appears that these feelings may be linked to the neurotransmitters
dopamine and/or serotonin, although I have not seen a good reference on this yet.

For More Information

Add references for pharmacological data here

Chemistry
This is the easiest section to write, and the most fun, since I can be relatively
sure of the facts.

Molecular Information
All information is on free base unless otherwise noted. Naming Methamphetamine
Free Base: Chem Abstract Service (9th+ CIP) uninverted name: N,alpha-
Dimethylbenzeneethanamine Previous name: d-N,alpha-dimethylphenethylamine
Alternate Names: d-N-methylamphetamine d-deoxyephedrine (e.g. right-handed
ephedrine, minus an oxygen) d-desoxyephedrine 1-phenyl-2-methylaminopropane d-
phenylisopropylmethane methyl-beta-phenylisopropylamine Trademarks: Norodin
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride: What we mean by hydrochloride is that it has formed
a "salt". The basic structure is unchanged, but an HCl molecule has become
attracted to the free base. In this case, the hydrogen from the HCl has become
attracted to the nitrogen in the free base.

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