Email a Friend

Where will meth take you?

Where will meth take you?

...to a hospital emergency department?

More than two patients with amphetamine-related problems are treated at RPH Emergency Department each day.
More than 70 patients a week are admitted to hospital with complications due to a range of drugs.
Some people think these patients only come in on a Friday or Saturday night. But they don't, they come in on a daily basis.

...to a psychiatric ward?

One third of admissions to Graylands Hospital are related to amphetamine use .
37% of drug-related patients presenting at RPH last year needed to be referred to psychiatric services.

…to a prison or a police lock up?

Possession, use, manufacture or supply of meth can carry heavy fines and/or a prison sentence.
Penalties range from a $2,000 fine and/or two years prison to a $100,000 fine and/or imprisonment for 25 years.
If you are convicted of a drug offence you can end up with a criminal record for the rest of your life – which can lead to difficulties getting a job, credit or visas for overseas travel.

What is meth?

Meth is a form of a group of drugs called amphetamines. Amphetamines increase the activity of certain chemicals in the brain and are classed as stimulant drugs. Methamphetamine is a lot more potent than other amphetamines. It can also be known as crystal, meth or rock.

What are the effects of meth?

short-term effects	short-term effects of higher doses	long-term effects
irritability	sweating	malnutrition and weight loss
suspiciousness	headaches	reduced resistance to infection
anxiety	pale skin	violent behaviour
increased alertness	restlessness	emotional disturbances
threatening manner	dizziness	periods of psychosis
increased confidence	feelings of being powerful or superior	delusional thoughts
paranoia	shaking	mood swings
panic attacks	repetitive movement behaviour	depression
increased energy	irregular breathing	psychotic symptoms
talkativeness	very rapid or irregular heartbeat
inability to sleep	hostility
reduced appetite	aggression
increased breathing rate	hallucinations
enlarged pupils	delusions
increased pulse rate
increased blood pressure
jaw clamping/teeth grinding

As methamphetamine is more potent than amphetamine, users are likely to experience more severe side-effects. Methamphetamine also increases the risk of mental health problems, so people with an existing mental health condition should be even more cautious about using this drug.

There are also dangerous effects associated with the method of use. Snorting can damage the fragile mucous membrane in the nasal passages. It produces burns and sores on the membranes that line the interior of the nose. Injecting amphetamines can result in blocked blood vessels that can cause major damage to the body’s organs, such as inflamed blood vessels and abscesses, blood poisoning, bacterial infections which may damage the heart valves, vein collapse, infection at injection site, bruising or more serious injuries if users inject into an artery or tissue.

What happens if you take too much (overdose)?

The risk of overdose generally increases with a larger dose. As the strength and content of meth is unknown it can be difficult to judge the dose, increasing the risk of overdose.
Overdose occurs when the level of intoxication from the drug reaches a point where it begins to produce physical and/or psychological harm.
Overdose from meth usually results from the drug’s stimulatory properties and can cause strokes, heart failure, seizures and death.

Look after yourself and your friends…

If you use meth or know someone who does, remember the following:

It is important to eat and sleep before and after using meth.
Because using meth can have harmful effects, users can be in dangerous situations. Therefore, they should not be left alone.
If you suspect any bad effects, call an ambulance immediately. Don’t delay, you could save a life.
The ambulance officers are there to help you. The police will not be called unless a there is a death or the ambulance officers are threatened.
Be sure to describe what drug the person has taken. If the user is unconscious and you know first aid, place them in the recovery position and ensure the airway is clear. If they have stopped breathing, perform Expired Air Resuscitation (EAR).
It is much safer not to inject drugs. However, if you do inject, use clean equipment (needle, syringe, swab, tourniquet, spoon, glass, filter and sterile water) and do not share gear. Fitpacks® which contain clean syringes are available from most pharmacies, needle and syringe exchange programs (for information on opening times and locations of these programs phone the Alcohol and Drug Information Service, contact details are at the bottom of this page), some regional hospitals, health centres and nursing posts.

Where do I to go for help or more info?

There are lots of treatment pathways available for people with meth-related problems. The availability of services, as well as the user’s health, desired outcome, support network and unique circumstances need to be taken into consideration. Deciding on the best treatment pathway, or combination of pathways, is best done in consultation with a drug and alcohol counsellor.

For up-to-date information about meth or other drugs call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service which provides information about drugs confidentially and quickly, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year: (08) 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 toll-free for country callers.

You can talk to a professionally trained counsellor about alcohol or other drugs and find out about other services.

You can also follow this link to ask us a question online:
http://www1.drugaware.com.au/pages/contact-us.aspx.

Your question will be answered as soon as possible during business hours, as this service is not manned 24hrs a day. If you require immediate help, call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on the numbers above.