Speed kills. This axiom, usually delivered as a warning to teenage drivers, now has a double meaning. "Speed" is a street name for methamphetamine, addictive synthetic stimulants that some have dubbed the "crack of the 1990s" or "the poor man's crack."

Meth, as it is called, is cheap and easy to make with over-the-counter ingredients in illegal laboratories. The drug has been a major problem in the western states since the mid to late 1980s and has been increasing in popularity in the South and Midwest since the early 1990s. It is currently the dominant drug problem in the San Diego area, and more meth labs per capita have been discovered in Independence, Mo., than in any other city in the United States. A 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse estimates that nearly 5 million people have tried meth at some time in their lives. Other data show that in 1996 4.4 percent of high school seniors had tried meth at least once in their lifetime, an increase from 2.7 percent in 1990.

Mexican-produced meth is entering the United States in record amounts, and small clandestine labs are producing smaller batches of meth from everyday, caustic chemicals and solvents.

According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, meth has been the most prevalent clandestinely produced controlled substance in the United States since 1979. During World War II, it was used by soldiers as an aid to fight fatigue and enhance performance. In Japan, where it was invented over 80 years ago, intravenous meth abuse reached epidemic proportions after World War II. In the United States in the 1950s, legally manufactured tablets of meth were used non-medically by college students, truck drivers and athletes. Meth is now classified as a Schedule II drug under federal regulations, which means it has a high potential for abuse and dependence.

Meth is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. It can be smoked, snorted, orally ingested, or injected. In its smoked form it is often referred to as "ice" or "glass." "Crank" refers to any form of meth.

Meth is a powerful central nervous system stimulant. People who smoke or inject meth experience an immediate and intense rush or flash that lasts several minutes. Hearts race and metabolism, blood pressure and pulses are elevated. Meth use produces an effect that can last 4 to 16 hours. It produces wakefulness and suppression of appetite and can also contribute to pronounced irritability and aggression.

"Most people would be surprised at who uses meth: professionals, housewives, kids in school--people looking for a lift in life," said Mark Sheets, executive director of Adult Continuum Services for Hazelden in Center City, Minn. "It's hard to detect when you first see it. Look for sudden bursts of energy followed by sleeping a lot. Paranoia, hyperactivity and excessive weight loss are other signs."

High-intensity abusers are usually thin, pale and sweaty. They often have scars or open sores on their bodies because they've tried to scratch off the hallucinatory "crank bugs" they think are crawling on their skin. The methamphetamine-induced paranoia also contributes to visual distortions that some chronic meth users refer to as "shadow people."

Meth can cause serious health effects including increased respiration, hyperthermia, convulsions, insomnia, tremors, anxiety, paranoia, and addiction. Death from meth overdose is possible. Use of the drug can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, resulting in strokes. Cardiovascular side effects include chest pain and hypertension and can result in cardiovascular collapse and death.

As use increases, more and more hospital emergency room episodes have been reported and more patients are entering treatment centers with meth as their primary drug. Effective treatment is available for meth addicts, said Sheets, author of Quitting Meth: Your Personal Recovery Plan, a workbook published by Hazelden.

"Education is the key to identifying and preventing meth abuse," adds Sheets. "Learn about the drug and its effects and keep your eyes and ears open as to what's happening in your community."

Readers can obtain more information on meth by calling the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 1-800-729-6686 or accessing its web site at http://www.nida.nih.gov/.  Free fact sheets can be ordered by calling NIDA Infofax at 1-888-644-6432.

--Published January 4, 1999