Mexican drug trafficking organizations have become the primary manufacturers and distributors of methamphetamine to cities throughout the United States, including in Hawaii. Domestic clandestine laboratory operators also produce and distribute meth but usually on a smaller scale. The methods used depend on the availability of precursor chemicals. Currently, this domestic clandestinely produced meth is mainly made with diverted products that contain pseudoephedrine. Mexican methamphetamine is made with different precursor chemicals. The Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 requires retailers of non-prescription products containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, or phenylpropanolamine to place these products behind the counter or in a locked cabinet. Consumers must show identification and sign a logbook for each purchase.

Street Names
Meth, Speed, Ice, Shards, Bikers Coffee, Stove Top, Tweak, Yaba, Crystal, Crank, Shabu.

How is it used?
As a pill or powder, it is smoked, snorted, or injected. To intensify the effects, users may take higher doses of the drug, take it more frequently, or change their method of intake.

How does it affect the body?
Highly addictive. Agitation; increased heart rate and blood pressure; Increased respiration and body temperature; anxiety and paranoia. High doses can cause convulsions, cardiovascular collapse, stroke or death.

What does it look like?
Regular meth is a pill or powder. Crystal meth resembles glass fragments or shiny blue-white “rocks” of various sizes.

What is its effect on the mind?
Meth is a highly addictive drug with potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant properties. Those who smoke or inject it report a brief, intense sensation, or rush. Oral ingestion or snorting produces a long-lasting high instead of a rush, which reportedly can continue for as long as half a day. Both the rush and the high are believed to result from the release of very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate feelings of pleasure. Long-term meth use results in many damaging effects, including addiction.Chronic meth users can exhibit violent behavior, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, and psychotic features including paranoia, aggression, visual and auditory hallucinations, mood disturbances, and delusions — such as the sensation of insects creeping on or under the skin. Such paranoia can result in homicidal or suicidal thoughts. Researchers have reported that as much as 50 percent of the dopamine producing cells in the brain can be damaged after prolonged exposure to relatively low levels of meth. Some studies suggested that the use of methamphetamine may also result in serotonergic neurotoxicity.

What is its effect on the body?
Taking even small amounts of meth can result in: Increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, rapid breathing and heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia (overheating). High doses can elevate body temperature to dangerous and sometimes lethal levels, and may cause convulsions and even cardiovascular collapse and death. Meth use may also cause extreme anorexia, memory loss, and severe dental problems.

What are its overdose effects?
High doses may result in death from stroke, heart attack, or multiple organ problems caused by overheating.

Which drugs cause similar effects?
Cocaine and potent stimulant pharmaceuticals, such as amphetamines and methylphenidate, produce similar effects.

What is its legal status in the United States?
Methamphetamine is a Schedule II stimulant under the Controlled Substances Act, which means that it has a high potential for abuse and a currently accepted medical use (in FDA-approved products). It is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled. Today there is only one legal meth product, Desoxyn. It is currently marketed in 5, 10, and 15-milligram tablets (immediate release and extended release formulations) and has very limited use in the treatment of obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

See U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration -
Drugs of Abuse | A DEA Resource Guide: 2020 EDITION.