Crystal meth is short for crystal methamphetamine. It is just one form of the drug methamphetamine.

Methamphetamin is a white crystalline drug that people take by snorting it (inhaling through the nose), smoking or injecting with a needle. Some even take it orally, but all develop a strong desire to continue using it because the drug creates a false sense of happiness and well-being – a rush (strong felling) of confidence, hyper-activeness and energy. One also experiences decreased appetite. These drug effects generally last from six to eight hours, but can last up to 24 hours. 

The first experience might involve some pleasure, but from the start methamphetamine begins to destroy the user’s life.

What is Methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is an illegal drug in the same class as cocaine and other powerful street drugs. It has many nicknames – meth, crank, chalk or speed being the most common.

Methamphetamine is inexpensive and relatively easy to produce, making it affordable and readily available.

Crystal meth, for example, is used by individuals of all ages, but is most commonly used as a “club drug”, taken while partying in night clubs or at rave parties. Its most common street names are ice, glass, shards, or Tina.

It is a dangerous and potent chemical, and, as with all drugs, a poison that first acts as a stimulant, but then begins to systematically destroy the body. Thus it is associated with serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior and potential heart and brain damage.

Highly addictive, meth burns up the body’s resources, creating a devastating dependence that can only be relieved by taking more of the drug.

Crystal meth’s effect is highly concentrated and many users report getting hooked (addicted) from the first time they use it. “I tried it once and BOOM! I was addicted”, said one meth addict who lost his family, friends, his profession as a musician and ended up homeless.

Consequently, it is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat and many die in its grip.

What Does Methamphetamine Look Like?

Different Colors of Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine usually comes in the form of a crystalline white powder that is odorless, bitter-tasting and it dissolves easily in water or alcohol. Other colors of powder have been observed, including brown, yellow-gray, orange and even pink. It can also be compressed into pill form. As covered earlier it can be snorted, smoked or injected. Crystal meth comes in clear chunky crystals resembling ice and is most commonly smoked.

Crystal Methamphetamine

Street Names for Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine (meth) and crystal methamphetamine are referred to by many names:

Meth

• Fast
• Crink
• Wash
• Chalk
• Crank
• Getgo
• Speed
• Brown
• Tweak
• Crypto
• Tick tick
• Beannies
• Cinnamon
• Chicken feed
• Methlies quik
• Mexican crack
• Yellow powder
• Redneck cocaine
• Yaba (Southeast Asia)
• Pervitin (Czech Republic)

Crystal Meth

• Ice
• Tina
• Batu
• Glass
• Blade 
• Cristy
• Shabu
• Hot ice
• Shards
• Quartz
• Crystal
• Ventana
• Stove top
• Crystal glass

What is Meth Made From?

Methamphetamine is a synthetic, (man-made) chemical, unlike cocaine, for instance, which comes from a plant.

Meth is commonly manufactured in illegal, hidden laboratories using various forms of amphetamine (another stimulant drug) or derivatives, mixed with other chemicals to boost its potency. Common pills such as cold remedies are often used as the basis for the production of the drug. The meth “cook” extracts the active ingredient in those pills, pseudoephedrine (a chemical derived from amphetamine), and combines it with dangerous or even deadly ingredients such as battery acid, drain cleaner, lantern fuel and antifreeze to increase its strength.

Those manufacturing methamphetamine use dangerous chemicals that are potentially explosive. Because of the volatile nature of the materials they employ, and the fact that the meth cooks are drug users themselves and disoriented, they are often severely burned and disfigured or killed when their preparations explode. Such accidents endanger others in nearby homes or buildings. 

The illegal laboratories create a lot of toxic waste as well – the production of one pound of methamphetamine produces five pounds of waste. People exposed to this waste material can become poisoned and sick.

Meth being cooked

The Deadly Effects of Meth:

The sort-term and long-term impact on the individual.

When taken, meth and crystal meth create a false sense of well-being and energy, and so a person will tend to push his body faster and further than it is meant to go. Thus, drug users can experience a severe “crash” or physical and mental breakdown after the effects of the drugs wear off.

Since the continued use of the drug decreases natural feelings of hunger, users can experience extreme weight loss. Negative effects can also include disturbed sleep patterns, hyperactivity, nausea, delusions of power, increased aggressiveness and irritability.

Other worrying effects can include: insomnia, confusion, hallucinations, anxiety and paranoia. In some cases, use can cause convulsions that lead to death.

Long-Range Damage

In the long term, meth use can cause irreversible harm: increased heart rate and blood pressure, damaged blood vessels in the brain that can cause strokes or an irregular heartbeat that can, in turn, cause cardiovascular collapse or death, and liver, kidney and lung damage.

There are strong indications that users suffer brain damage, including memory impairment and an increasing inablility to grasp abstract thoughts. Those who recover are usally subject to some memory gaps and extreme mood swings.

Meth Harm

Short-Term Effects:

• Nausea
• Loss of appetite
• Dilation of pupils
• Panic and psychosis
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Hallucinations, hyper-excitability, irritability
• Bizarre, erratic, sometimes violent behavior
• Increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature
• Excessive doses may lead to convulsions, seizures and death

• Psychosis
• Depression
• Severe tooth decay
• Malnutrition, weight loss
• Liver, kidney and lung damage
• Respiratory problems if smoked
• Strong psychological dependence
• Destruction of tissues in nose if sniffed
• Disorientation, apathy, confused exhaustion
• Infectious diseases and abscesses if injected
• Damage to the brain similar to Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and epilepsy
• Irreversible damage to blood vessels of heart and brain, high blood pressure leading to heart attacks, stokes and death

How Methamphetamine Affects People’s Lives

When people take methamphetamine, it takes over their live in varying degrees. There are three categories of abuse.

Low-Intensity Meth Abuse:

Low-intensity abusers swallow or snort methamphetamine. They want the extra stimulation methamphetamine provides so that they can stay awake long enough to finish a task or a job, or they want the appetite-suppressant effect to lose weight. They are one step away from becoming “binge” (meaning uncontrolled use of a substance) abusers.

 

Binge Meth Abuse:

Binge abusers smoke or inject methamphetamine with a needle. This allows them to receive a more intense dose of the drug and experience a stronger “rush” this is psychologically addictive. They are on the verge of moving into high-intensity abuse.

 

High-Intensity Meth Abuse:

The high-intensity abusers are the addicts, often called “speed freaks”. Their whole existence focuses on preventing the crash, that painful letdown after the drug high. In order to achieve the desired “rush” from the drug, they must take more and more of it. But as with other drugs, each successive meth high is less than the one before, urging the meth addict into a dark and deadly spiral of addiction.

 

 

The Stages of the Meth “Experience”

1. The Rush- A rush is the initial response the abuser feels when smoking or injecting methamphetamine. During the rush, the abuser’s heartbeat races and metabolism, blood pressure and pulse soar. Unlike the rush associated with crack cocaine, which lasts for approximately two to five minutes, the methamphetamine rush can continue for 30 minutes or longer.
2. The High- The rush is followed by a high, sometimes called “the shoulder” but more so called “the peak” or “peaking”. During the high, the abuser often feels aggressively smarter and becomes argumentative, often interrupting other people and finishing their sentences. The delusional effects can result in a user becoming intensely focused on a mundane or inconsequential item, such as repeatedly cleaning the same window for several hours. The high can last 4-16 hours or longer depending on how much was taken or how potent the dose was that was taken.
3. The Binge- A binge is uncontrolled use of a drug or alcohol. It refers to the abuser’s urge to maintain the high by smoking or injecting more methamphetamine. The binge can last 3-15 days. During the binge, the abuser becomes hyperactive both mentally and physically. Each time the abuser smokes or injects more of the drug, he experiences another but smaller rush until, finally, there is no rush and no high.
4. Tweaking- A methamphetamine abuser is most dangerous when experiencing a phase of the addiction called “tweaking” – a condition reached at the end of a drug binge when methamphetamine no longer provides a rush or a high. Unable to relieve the dreadful feelings of emptiness and craving, an abuser loses his sense of identity. Intense itching is common and a user can become convinced that bugs are crawling under his skin. Unable to sleep for days at a time, the abuser is often in a completely psychotic state and he exists in his own world, seeing and hearing things that no one else can perceive. His hallucinations are so vivid that they seem real and disconnected from reality, he can become hostile and dangerous to himself and others. The potential for self-mutilation is high.
5. The Crash- To a binge abuser, the crash happens when the body shuts down, unable to cope with the drug effects overwhelming it; this results in a long period of sleep for the person. Even the meanest most violent abuser becomes almost lifeless during the crash and poses a threat to no one. The crash can last one to three days.
6. Meth Hangover- After the crash, the abuser returns in a deteriorated state, starved, dehydrated and utterly exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. This stage ordinarily lasts between 2 and 14 days. This leads to enforced addiction, as the “solution” to these feelings is to take more meth. 
7. Withdrawal- Often 30 to 90 days can pass after the last drug use before the abuser realizes that he is in withdrawal. First, he becomes depressed, loses his energy and the ability to experience pleasure. Then the craving for more methamphetamine hits, and the abuser often becomes suicidal. Since meth withdrawal is extremely painful and arduous, most abusers often revert; thus, 93% of those in traditional treatment return to abusing methamphetamine.

History of Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is not a new drug, although it has become more powerful in recent years as techniques for its manufacture have evolved. 

Amphetamine was first synthesized in 1887 in Germany and methamphetamine, more potent and easy to make, was developed in Japan in 1919. The crystalline powder was soluble in water, making it a perfect candidate for injection.

Methamphetamine went into wide use during World War II, when both sides used it to keep troops awake. High doses were given to Japanese Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. And after the war, intravenous methamphetamine abuse reached epidemic proportions when supplies stored for military use became available to the Japanese public.

In the 1950’s, methamphetamine was prescribed as a diet aid and to fight depression. Easily available, it was used as a non-medical stimulant by college students, truck drivers and athletes and abuse of the drug spread.

This pattern changed dramatically in the 1960’s with the increased availability of inject able methamphetamine, increasing the abuse. Then, in 1970, the U.S. government criminalized it for most uses. After that, American motorcycle gangs controlled most of the production and distribution of the drug. Most users at the time lived in rural communities and could not afford the more expensive cocaine.

In the 1990’s, Mexican drug trafficking organizations set up large laboratories in California. While these massive labs are able to generate 50 pounds of the substance in a single weekend, smaller private labs have sprung up in kitchens and apartments, earning the drug one of its names, “stove top”. From there it spread across the United States and into Europe, through the Czech Republic. Today, most of the drug available in Asia is produced in Thailand, Myanmar and China.

A Meth "Super Lab"

 

Link to More Facts on Meth

http://www.drugrehabblogs.com/drug-facts/methamphetamine-facts

 

Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug. It is used by millions of addicts around the world who are unable to overcome the devastating urge to continue taking this drug every day of their lives – knowing that if they stop, they will face the horror of withdrawal.

Heroin (like opium and morphine) is made from the resin of poppy plants. Milky, sap-like opium is first removed from the pod of the poppy flower. This opium is refined to make morphine, then further refined into different forms of heroin.

Most heroin is injected, creating additional risks for the user, who faces the prospect of HIV or other infection on top of the pain of addiction.

The Origins of Heroin

Heroin was first manufactured in 1898 by the Bayer pharmaceutical company of Germany and marketed as a treatment for tuberculosis as well as remedy for morphine addiction.

During the 1850’s, opium addiction was a major problem in the U.S. The “solution” was to provide opium addicts with a less potent and supposedly “non-addictive” substitute – morphine. Morphine addiction soon became bigger than opium addiction. As with opium, the morphine problem was solved by another “non-addictive” substitute – heroin, which proved to be even more addictive than morphine. With the heroin problem came yet another “non-addictive” substitute – the drug now known as methadone. First developed in 1937 by German scientists searching for a surgical painkiller, it was exported to the U.S. and given the trade name “Dolophine” in 1947. Renamed methadone, the drug was soon being widely used as a treatment for heroin addiction. Unfortunately, it proved to be even more addictive than heroin.

Poppy Plant

By the late 1990’s, the mortality rate of heroin addicts was estimated to be as high as 20 times greater than the rest of the population.

What Does Heroin Look Like?

In its purest form, heroin is a fine white powder. But more often it is found to be rose gray, brown or black in color. The coloring comes from additives which have been used to dilute it which can include sugar, caffeine or other substances. Street heroin is sometimes “cut” with strychnine or other poisons. The carious additives do not fully dissolve, and, when they are injected into the body, can clog the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, kidneys or the brain. This itself can lead to infection or destruction of vital organs.

The user buying heroin on the street never knows the actual strength of the drug in that particular packet. Thus, users are constantly at risk of an overdose.

Heroin can be injected, smoked or sniffed. The first time it is used, the drug creates a sensation of being high. A person can feel extroverted, able to communicate easily with others and may experience a sensation of heightened sexual performance – but not for long.

Heroin is highly addictive and withdrawal extremely painful.

The drug quickly breaks down the immune system, finally leaving one sickly, gaunt, and, ultimately dead.

Street Names for Heroin

Dope, Junk, Smack, H, Big H, Boy, Capital H, China white, Chiva, Dead on arrival, Diesel, Eighth, Good H, Hell dust, Horse, Mexican horse, Mud, Poppy, Smack, Thunder, Train, White junk, Skag, Nose Drops

International Statistics

The United Nations estimates that there are over 10 million people who use heroin in the world today. Out of every 1,000 opiate users, 2.6 will die this year.

• Over 85% of the world’s production of opium comes from Afghanistan, a $600 million-per-year crop.
• In the U.S. there are nearly 900,000 current heroin addicts, while 3.7 million Americans have used heroin at some time in their lives.
• Heroin and morphine are listed among the four most frequently mentioned drugs in reports of drug-related death cases.
• A survey of 31 nations by the World Heath Organization, released in February 2001, found that 41% of 10th graders in the U.S. had tried marijuana, while another 23% of the American students surveyed said they had tried illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

The Destructive And Deadly Effects Of Heroin

IMMEDIATE HARM: The Initial effects of heroin include a surge of sensation – a “rush”. This is often accompanied by a warm feeling of the skin and a dry mouth. Sometimes, the initial reaction can include vomiting or severe itching.

After these initial effects fade, the user becomes drowsy for several hours. The basic body functions such as breathing and heartbeat slow down.

Within hours after the drug effects have reduced, the addicts body begins to crave more. If he/she does not get another fix, they will begin to experience withdrawal. Withdrawal includes the extreme physical and mental symptoms which are experienced if the body is not supplied again with the next dose of heroin. Withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, aches and pains in the bones, diarrhea, vomiting and severe discomfort.

The intense high a user seeks lasts only a few minutes. With continued use, he/she needs increasing amounts of the drug just to feel “normal”.

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS:

• Rush
• Hypothermia
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sedation; drowsiness
• Depressed respiration
• Clouded mental functioning
• Coma or death (due to overdose)

Long-Term Effects

The effects on the body from continued use of the drug are devastating. Frequent injections can cause collapsed veins, and can lead to infections of the blood vessels and heart valves. Tuberculosis can result from the general poor condition of the body. Arthritis is another long-term result of heroin addiction. The addict lifestyle – where heroin users often share needles with one another – leads to HIV and other contagious infections. It is estimated that of the 35,000 new hepatitis C infections each year in the U.S., over 70% are from drug users who use needles.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS:

• Coma
• Itching
• Insomnia
• Bad teeth
• Depression
• Introversion
• Cold sweats
• Constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Paralysis (paresis)
• respiratory illnesses
• Pustules on the face
• Inflammation of the gums
• Menstrual disturbance in women
• Weakening of the immune system
• Loss of memory and intellectual performance
• Inability to achieve orgasm (women and men)
• Reduced sexual capacity and long-term impotence in men

“I’ll Just Try It Once.”

Warning: Even a single dose of heroin can start a person on the road to addiction!

Many people experiment with heroin thinking, “I’ll try it once or twice. I can always stop”. But those who start down that road find it nearly impossible to turn back. Consider the words of Sam, a 15-year-old addict: “When you first shoot up, you will most likely puke and feel repelled, but soon you’ll try it again. It will cling to you like an obsessed lover. The rush of the hit and the way you’ll want to do more, as if you were being deprived of air – that’s how it will trap you.

The threat of addiction is not the worst consequence of experimenting with heroin. Jim was 21 years old and usually spent his evenings drinking beer with friends. He had already experimented with heroin so when friends offered him a line to sniff, he accepted. Fifteen minutes after inhaling, he passed out, then dropped into a deep coma which lasted more than two months. Today, he is confined to a wheelchair, unable to write, barely able to read. Whatever dreams and aspirations he once had are gone.

Heroin Chic

Once heroin frightened people. More recently, some people have tried to make heroin use “fashionable”.

In the past decade, the “heroin addict look” – blank expression, waxy complexion, dark circles under the eyes, sunken cheeks, excessive thinness, greasy hair – was promoted in popular magazine and fashion circles as “chic”

Just as rock stars helped popularize LSD during the 1960’s, so have some fashion designers, photographers and advertising people of today influenced an entire genertation of youth, by portraying heroin use in magazines and music videos as in vogue and even desirable.

It is grimly ironic that Davide Sorrenti – the fashion photographer whose work was synonymous with “heroin chic” – reportedly dided at the age of 20 from heroin overdose.

A Very Slippery Slope

Some children smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol when still very young. By the time they graduate high school, nearly 40% of all teens will have tried marijuana. Some later move on to more addictive substances.

We cannot assume that all children who smoke marijuana today will become heroin addicts tomorrow. But the danger does exist. And long-term studies of high school students show that few young people use other drugs without first having tried marijuana. Once a person can no longer get the initial “rush”, he/she begins to increase drug consumption or to look for something stronger.

Let’s Face Reality

Children increasingly are coming into contact with illegal drugs. The 2004 National Survey on Dug Use and Health found that more than 7.5 million youths (aged 12 to 17) in the U.S. reported illicit drug use at least once in their life, while 5.3 million used an illicit drug in the past year. In 2005, the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse decried the “relatively high rates of [heroin] abuse, especially among school-age youth.”

Th U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime reported in 2005,”the main problem, drugs at the global level, continues to be the opiates (notably heroin)…”

Black Tar Heroin

The New Face Of Heroin

The image of a listless young heroin addict collapsed in a filthy, dark alley is obsolete. Today, the young addict could be 12 years old, play video games and enjoy the music of his generation. He could appear smart, stylish and bear none of the common traces of heroin use, such as needle marks on his arm.

Because it is available in various forms that are easier to consume and more affordable, heroin today is more tempting than ever. Between 1995 and 2002, the number of teenagers in America, aged 12 to 17, who used heroin at some point in their lives increased by 300%.

A young person who might think twice about putting a needle in his arm may more readily smoke or sniff the same drug. But this is falsely reassuring and may give on the idea that there is less risk. The truth is that heroin in all its forms is dangerous, addictive, poisonous and deadly!

Link to More Facts on Heroin

http://www.drugrehabblogs.com/drug-facts/heroin-facts

Strawberry Quick

A new twist on Crystal Meth production includes adding Nestle Strawberry Quick. The Crystal Meth produced this way is being referred to as “Strawberry Quick” or “Strawberry Quik”. There are other flavors too including chocolate, cola and other sodas. And the DEA says that one agent reported a red methamphetamine that had been marketed as a powdered form of an energy drink. Reports of candy-flavored methamphetamine are emerging around the nation, stirring concern among police and abuse prevention experts that drug dealers are marketing the drug to younger people.

Drug traffickers are trying to lure in new customers, no matter what their age, by making the meth seem less dangerous when in fact it is just as poisonous and dangerous. Strawberry Quick looks like hard candy, bits and pieces of chunky red lollipop or pop-rocks. In reality, it’s highly-addictive methamphetamine. Strawberry Quick is popular among new users who snort it because the flavoring can cut down on the taste. Teenagers who have been taught meth is bad may see this flavored version as less harmful. ‘Strawberry Quick’ is designed for the younger crowd. Traffickers know that the word is out about what a horrible drug meth is. They are having a tough time selling this product, especially to young people. What do people in marketing do when they have a tough time selling a product? They have to come up with some sort of gimmick.

There is one bit of good news in all this: Methamphetamine use is down for much of the country for the second year running. Researchers say it appears this latest meth epidemic reached its peak in 2004 and 2005, and data from the federal government shows the number of first-time meth users has steadily declined in recent years. The number of people 12 and older who used methamphetamine for the first time in the previous year decreased from 318,000 people in 2004 to 192,000 people in 2005, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In 2006, there were an estimated 731,000 current users of methamphetamine aged 12 or older (0.3 percent of the population). Of the 259,000 people who used methamphetamine for the first time in 2006, the mean age at first use was 22.2 years, which is up considerably from the mean age of 18.6 in 2005. The use of meth in 12-17 year olds is still falling, but it seems that from 2005 to 2006, lifetime methamphetamine abuse increased among those 26 and older, particularly among those 26 and older, particularly among those 26–34 years of age.

Our work is no where near done, but the stats are getting better. I believe that this trend is due to the fact that Drug and Law enforcement agencies took notice of how bad it was getting and in 2004 stepped up their efforts to combat Methamphetamine use and manufacturing.

Marketing Meth

Few are surprised that a phenomenon such as strawberry-flavored drugs appears to have originated in California, whose drug dealers have a history of colorful marketing tactics aimed at kids.

In March 2006, DEA agents raided several warehouses near Oakland belonging to Beyond Bomb, a company that manufactured an entire line of marijuana-laced snacks and soft drinks.

Authorities uncovered thousands of marijuana plants, as well as an array of products, among them “Pot Tarts,” candy called “Stoney Ranchers,” drinks named “Toka Cola” and chocolate named “Rasta Reece’s” and “Buddafingers.”

As the case progressed, some argued that the operation was simply providing products to medical marijuana patients, who are allowed to take marijuana with a prescription under California law. But federal authorities say marijuana use is illegal under all circumstances.

“In a way, this case sort of answers the question, ‘What will they think of next?’ ” said Javier Pena, special agent in charge of the Oakland DEA office at the time of the busts at Beyond Bomb.

“What so many people don’t realize is that innocent children may somehow get their hands on these products and think they are just normal candy or soft drinks.”

Authorities were tipped to the operation in October 2005 and eventually arrested Kenneth Affolter of Lafayette, Calif., and several employees.

In March, a federal judge in California sentenced Mr. Affolter to nearly six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

Links

Facts and Effects of Meth: http://www.drugrehabblogs.com/drug-facts/methamphetamine-facts/

Information on Effects of Drugs on Kids: http://www.freedomtreatmentcenter.com/effects-of-drugs-on-kids/

Illegal Drug Information: http://www.freedomtreatmentcenter.com/illegal-drugs-information/

Signs of Drug Addiction: http://www.freedomtreatmentcenter.com/signs-of-drug-addiction/

Pregnancy And Drugs

A Double Whammy of Danger

When a woman becomes pregnant, it is vital for her to have a healthy lifestyle: exercising regularly, eating nourishing food and getting plenty of rest. It is also imperative that she avoid anything that can harm her or her baby to be. It is extremely important to give up drugs, cigarettes and alcohol.

For a pregnant woman, drug abuse is two times as dangerous than normal. First, drugs may harm her own health, interfering with her ability to support the pregnancy. Second, most drugs can directly impair prenatal development.

Which Drugs are Dangerous?

Virtually all illegal drugs, such as heroin and cocaine, pose dangers to a pregnant woman. Legal substances, like tobacco, alcohol and medical drugs (over-the-counter or prescription) are dangerous and can be harmful. For her own health and the health of her baby to be, a woman should avoid all of them as much as possible, from the time she first plans to become pregnant or is made aware of the fact that she is pregnant.

Drugs and the Stages of Pregnancy

Most drugs can be harmful when used at any time during pregnancy. Others, however, are particularly damaging at specific stages.

The Organ Formation Stage

Most of the baby’s body organs and systems are formed within the first ten weeks or so of pregnancy (determined from the date of the last menstrual period). Through the course of this stage, some drugs and alcohol in particular can cause malformations of such parts ot the developing fetus. This includes the heart, the limbs and the facial features.

The Prenatal Growth Stage

Upon entering the Eleventh week, the fetus will grow rapidly in weight and size. At this point, certain drugs may damage organs that are still developing, such as the eyes, as well as the nervous system. Continuing drug use also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. But the greatest danger drugs pose at this stage is their potential to interfere with normal growth. Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is most likely to result in a low birth weight baby born too early, too small, or both. Low birth weight babies require special care and run a much higher risk of severe health problems or even death.

The Stage of Birth

Some drugs will be especially harmful a the end of pregnancy. They can make delivery much more difficult or even dangerous, ot they can create health problems for the newborn baby.

Alcohol

Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs for pregnant women, especially in the early weeks. In the mother’s body, alcohol breaks down chemically to a cell-damaging compound that is readily absorbed by the fetus. Heavy drinking during early pregnancy greatly increases the risk of a cluster of birth defects known as fetal alcohol syndrome. This cluster includes a small skull (microcephaly), abnormal facial features, and heart defects, often accompanied by impeded growth and mental retardation. Heavy drinking in later pregnancy may also impede growth.

It is not known whether light to moderate drinking can produce these effects. However, even if the risk is low, the stakes are very high. Medical experts agree that a woman should avoid alcohol entirely when she decides to become pregnant, or at least when the first signs of pregnancy appear. Even such mild beverages as beer and wine coolers should be off limits.

Tobacco

Smoking during pregnancy appears to raise the risk of miscarriage or premature labor. But the primary danger is hindered fetal growth. Nicotine depresses the appetite at a time when a woman should be gaining weight, and smoking reduces the ability of the lungs to absorb oxygen. The fetus, deprived of sufficient nourishment and oxygen, may not grow as fast or as much as it should.

Cocaine & Methamphetamine

Cocaine (including crack) and methamphetamine (speed, or ice) are powerful stimulants of the central nervous system. They suppress the mother’s appetite and exert other drastic forces on her body, causing the blood vessels to constrict, the heart to beat faster, and the blood pressure to soar. The growth of the fetus may be hindered, and there are higher risks of miscarriage, premature labor, and a condition called abruptio placenta (the partial separation of the placenta from the uterus wall, causing bleeding).

If these drugs are taken late in pregnancy, the baby may be born drug dependent and suffer withdrawal symptoms, such as tremors, sleeplessness, muscle spasms, and sucking difficulties. Some experts believe learning difficulties may later develop.

Heroin & Other Narcotics

Heavy narcotics use increases the danger of premature birth with such accompanying problems for the infant as low birth weight, breathing difficulties, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), and bleeding within the head (intracranial hemorrhage).

The babies of narcotics-dependent mothers are often born dependent themselves and suffer withdrawal symptoms, such as irritability, vomiting and diarrhea, and joint stiffness.

Women who inject narcotics may become infected with the HIV virus from dirty needles and may subsequently develop AIDS. HIV-infected women obviously run a high risk of passing the virus on to their babies.

Inhalants

At least one inhaled substance has been clearly connected with birth defects. The organic solvent toluene, widely used in paints and glues, appears to cause malformations like those produced by alcohol (which is itself an organic solvent). It is possible that all organic solvents may cause birth defects.

PCP

PCP (phencyclidine, or angel dust) taken late in pregnancy can cause newborns to have withdrawal symptoms, such as lethargy alternating with tremors.

Marijuana

Studies of marijuana use by pregnant women are inconclusive, because marijuana is often used with other drugs, such as tobacco and alcohol. Like them, it is associated with premature birth and low-birth weight babies.

Medications

Many medications have side effects that are potentially harmful during pregnancy, but their benefits may outweigh their risks. A woman should consult her doctor or midwife before taking any drug, even one sold over the counter. Below are a few examples of medical drugs that must be used with extreme caution or avoided altogether.

• Antimigraine drugs, such as ergotamine and methysergide, are used to head off migraine attacks but raise the risk of premature labor.
• Isotretinoin (Accutane) and etretinate (Tegison) are used to treat chronic acne and psoriasis. They may cause chronic malformations during the stage of organ development.
• Anticonvulsants, such as phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamezapine (Tegretol), are used to prevent epileptic seizures. They are associated with defects of the heart and face, as well as mental retardation.
• Anticoagulant drugs based on coumarin are used in the treatment of heart disease and stroke, to slow blood clotting. Taken during early pregnancy, they are associated with facial malformations and mental retardation. Later on they raise the risk of uncontrolled bleeding.
• Aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) interfere with blood clotting and increase the risk of uncontrolled bleeding for both mother and baby. Toward the end of pregnancy, they hinder production of the hormones that stimulate labor, so that labor may be dangerously delayed or extended.

Links:

More information on Pregnancy and Drug Use: http://www.freedomtreatmentcenter.com/pregnancy-and-drug-use/