CompDrug, Inc.
- Offering Prevention, Intervention and Treatment Programs for Persons with Substance Abuse Problems -



For Employers The Drug Free Workplace: A Guide for Supervisors and Managers Employer Tip Sheet Employer Tip Sheet-1 Why Should You Care About Having a Drug-Free Workplace? Employer Tip Sheet-2 The Components of a Drug-Free Workplace Program Employer Tip Sheet-3 Hallmarks of Successful Drug-Free Workplace Programs Employer Tip Sheet-4 Drug-Free Workplace Programs: Are They Worth the Time? Employer Tip Sheet-5 Creating a Drug-Free Workplace Policy Employer Tip Sheet-6 Employee Education Employer Tip Sheet-7 Supervisor Training Employer Tip Sheet-8 Employee Assistance Programs Employer Tip Sheet-9 Drug Testing Employer Tip Sheet-10 Outside Help and Consultants Employer Tip Sheet-11 Avoiding Problems With Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Employer Tip Sheet-12 Evaluating Your Program Creating A Drug-Free Workplace - When the Issue is Safety Creating A Drug-Free Workplace - When Service is Your Business


.
CompDrug, Inc.
547 East Eleventh Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211
Phone: 614 224-4506
compdrug@compdrug.org


Helping Hands

Meth: America's Homegrown Drug Epidemic

"Methamphetamine has become the most dangerous drug problem of small-town America," according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.1 It seems to hit small towns more than big cities.

Created in neighborhoods across the country, methamphetamine (meth) is American's homegrown drug epidemic. It's sweeping the Nation from the California coast to the eastern seaboard. Meth is leaving a path of destruction, particularly among small towns, where youth are more than twice as likely to use the drug than young people living in larger cities.


What is meth?

"Meth is highly addictive. People who think they might use meth only once or twice can get hooked.

This powerful drug works in the brain and gives users a sense of energy that can make them push their bodies faster and further than they are meant to go. Even small amounts of meth can cause a person to be more awake and active, but it also makes people lose their appetite and become irritable and aggressive. Meth also causes a person's blood pressure to increase and heart to beat faster.2

Why are small towns more affected?

Most drugs-such as cocaine or heroin-come from other countries and are sold by dealers. Meth can be cooked at home in kitchens and garages, in vacant barns, and in other buildings. It is created with common household items such as batteries and cold medicine. These items are cheap and can be bought in local stores. The chemicals in them can pollute neighborhoods and make the environment unsafe for kids.

Treatment for meth use can be hard to find in small towns. Rural communities often have fewer health facilities and treatment options than larger cities. This means that youth and adult meth users may find it hard to get the help they need.

How many people are using it?

Numbers on meth use can be deceiving. While statistics show that use among teens and middle school students has been the same for the past few years, those numbers don't tell the whole story. Meth seems to spread in pockets, leaving some areas or populations nearly untouched while others are devastated.3

Why would anyone use meth?

Some people use it for the strong "rush" they get when they smoke or inject the drug. Other people use meth to help them lose weight or give them an energy boost so they can work more. Athletes and students sometimes begin using meth because it makes them feel like they are doing better in sports or schoolwork. At first, meth gives them more energy to practice sports and to study for longer periods of time.

What are the effects of meth use?

Recent studies have shown that meth causes more damage to the brain than alcohol, heroin, or cocaine.6

When the high wears off, people who use meth go through a severe "crash." Because meth can be made from lethal ingredients like battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel, and antifreeze, there is a greater chance of having a heart attack, stroke, or serious brain damage with this drug than with other drugs.4 Long-term meth use can result in fatal kidney and lung disorders, brain damage, liver damage, chronic depression, paranoia, and other physical and mental disorders.5

How can you tell if someone is using meth?

Symptoms of meth use may include7:

  • Inability to sleep
  • Increased sensitivity to noise
  • Nervous physical activity, like scratching
  • Irritability, dizziness, or confusion
  • Extreme anorexia
  • Tremors or even convulsions
  • Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and risk of stroke
  • Presence of inhaling paraphernalia, such as razor blades, mirrors, and straws
  • Presence of injecting paraphernalia, such as syringes, heated spoons, or surgical tubing.
For treatment options, call your local health department, family doctor, or health care provider.

Meth use poses a real and growing threat to individuals, families, and communities across the country. Talk with your children about the dangers of using meth and help them find safe ways to "boost their energy." For example, they can take a 15-minute power nap after school, eat a high-energy snack, or exercise for 30 minutes. Meth is sweeping the Nation, but you have the power to prevent it from reaching your family.

Sources

1 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Fast Facts About Meth, last referenced 7/14/2005.

2 National Institute on Drug Abuse. Mind Over Matter: Methamphetamine: Methamphetamine Has Lots of Other Effects, last referenced 7/14/2005.

3 Irvine, M. April 10, 2005. ABC News: States Grapple With Growing Teen Meth Use, last referenced 7/14/2005.

4 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2004. Tips for Teens: The Truth About Methamphetamine, last referenced 5/27/2005. (Also available as a print publication.)

5 KCI: The Anti-Meth Site. Methamphetamine: Frequently Asked Questions, last referenced 7/14/2005.

6 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Fast Facts About Meth, last referenced 7/14/2005.

7 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. 2004. Tips for Teens: The Truth About Methamphetamine, last referenced 7/14/2005. (Also available as a print publication.)

Additional Resources:

 




This document is in the Public Domain and provided by, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)







Copyright © 2008, CompDrug Incorporated