Methamphetamines, also known as speed, crystal, crank, ice, and chalk are becoming a widely used party drug along the West Coast. Cheap, easy to make and instantly addictive, meth is becoming a home cooked drug crisis. On the Drug Enforcement Agency's list meth as number two. Usually, meth contains legal ingredients such as battery acid, ammonia, paint thinner, and large quantities of Sudafed. All of the harsh toxins that are used in forming this drug have the biggest toll on the users' brain.
             A short-term effect that comes from snorting, smoking or shooting into an arm is described as a rush or flash. Other means of usage bring about a feeling of extreme happiness known as euphoria. Meth users known as "tweekers" commonly experience side effects that include insomnia, convulsions, tremors, nervousness, anxiety, confusion, aggression, and irritability that may turn into violent behaviors. A psychological effect in users is hallucination, such as, imagining insects crawling under the skin. These types of hallucinations add on to their feelings of paranoia. A long-term effect of choosing to abuse is serious damage to one's brain cells and entire central nervous system. This damage may lead to Alzheimer's disease or strokes.
             Methamphetamines first surfaced during World War II, it was widely dispensed to both Allied and Axis troops in order to keep soldiers awake and alert for days at a time. As a result, many came home with raving addictions, which caused meth to go underground and then later resurface. Crystal Meth was used as an attempt to treat obesity, Parkinson's disease, and even narcolepsy.
             High levels of meth destroy brain neurons that control dopamine and serotonin. Serotonin is the chemical that causes us to feel happy. So, when those cells die they don't come back. When dopamine producing cells die they restrain movement causing Parkinson's disease or cardiac ...