Dinesh Kamath's news 'Youngsters addicted to crystal meth and MD face tough time' that was published in Newsband

Youngsters addicted to crystal meth and MD face tough time

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: There are quite many youngsters of Navi Mumbai who are addicted to crystal meth and mephedrone (MD). Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation Hospital at Vashi has gone out of the way to provide free de-addiction centre for these meth-addicts and MD-addicts. There is also a centre called Anvay Foundation which treats these addicts.

These two drugs, crystal meth and mephedrone, come under the purview of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. Most of the addicts were found to be belonging to school and college.

Such addicts need medical assistance as well as counseling by the experts in these drugs. Some youngsters begin to consume these two drugs just for fun and for the kick they get. But later on when they get addicted to these drugs and begin suffering side effects, they rush to the hospital on their own. Others are brought for treatment by their relatives or guardians.

Recovery of the addict depends on his or her physical and mental stamina. Some get well fast while others take some time to recover. There are patients who don’t follow up or who are ignored by their family members owing to which their conditions become worse.

Youngsters who have serious family problems fall a prey to these drugs. Not all try these drugs out of curiosity. There are many who take resort to these drugs to drive away their tensions temporarily. But they do not realize that although these drugs can give them relief for sometimes, it can cause great harm in the long run.

The counselors feel that not only the addicts, but also their parents and other close ones need to be counseled. Without the family support it is difficult to provide total relief to these addicts, say the counselors.

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

Methamphetamine is a white crystalline drug that people take by snorting it (inhaling through the nose), smoking it or injecting it 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 feeling) of confidence, hyperactiveness and energy. One also experiences decreased appetite. These drug effects generally last from six to eight hours, but can last up to twenty-four hours.

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

Crystal meth 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 or glass.

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. Consequently, it is one of the hardest drug addictions to treat.

Mephedrone is a relatively new drug. Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) is a stimulant drug, which means it speeds up the messages travelling between the brain and body.1  Other names of this drug are Meph, meow, meow-meow, m-cat, plant food, drone, bubbles, kitty cat. Mephedrone powder is usually sniffed/snorted or swallowed. Swallowing is the most common way of taking the drug. It is usually mixed with liquid to drink or wrapped in a cigarette paper (known as ‘bombing’). The following effects may be experienced and may last for two-to-four hours: Rush of intense pleasure, Feeling happy, energetic and wanting to talk more,   Intense connection with music, Anxiety, Paranoia, Restless sleep, Jaw clenching, teeth grinding, Light-headedness, dizziness, Distorted sense of time, Memory loss, Nose bleeds from sniffing/snorting the drug, Enlarged (dilated) pupils, blurred vision, Dry mouth, thirst, Sweating, Reduced appetite, Stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, Skin rashes, Fast heart beat, High blood pressure, Strong urge to re-dose, Chest pain and Tremors and convulsions.

Giving up mephedrone after using it for a long time can be challenging because the body has to get used to functioning normally without it. Right drugs and perfect counseling can provide a lot of relief to the addicts of crystal meth and MD.