Crystal Meth Abuse

Dear Lisa,

I was in the pharmacy the other day and at the cash register there was a sign reading: Sudafed is no longer available over the counter. It can only be purchased from behind the counter. Limit of one box per customer. You must be 18 years old to purchase. I asked the teenage cashier why Sudafed was not available over the counter and why there were restrictions. She told me that kids use Sudafed to make Crystal Meth. I never heard of such a thing. Are the kids today making their own drugs? I like to keep aware of what’s going on in the community because I have a 10 year old daughter who will soon be exposed to this and I would like to know what to watch out for.

“What’s going on with Sudafed?”

Dear “What’s going on with Sudafed?”

Yes it is true; Sudafed is one of the ingredients that drug dealers use to make a street drug called Crystal Meth. Methamphetamine (MA) is an addictive stimulant drug which exerts stimulatory effects on the central nervous system and cardiovascular system. It’s produced in many forms and can be smoked, snorted, ingested or injected. In 2004, in the United States 1.4 million people 12 years or older reported using MA in the previous year. (1) In the past MA abuse was more prominent in California and Arizona, but now it is spreading to other areas of the country. MA is not usually sold on the street like many other illicit drugs. It’s typically a more private sale, arranged by networking with those who produce the drug. It is often sold by special invitation at all-night warehouse parties or raves. (2).

MA comes from super labs located in Mexico and in California. There are also smaller home based labs located across the United States. Meth producers get recipes from friends and use Sudafed and common household products and equipment to make high –quality MA. Users experience euphoria, increased attention, increased libido, increased physical activity, visual hallucinations, aggression, violence, hyperthermia, and increased heart rate.(3) The signs of a home based Meth lab include unusual strong odors, blacked out windows, people coming and going at unusual times, excessive trash, stained coffee filters and an unusual number of clear glass containers in the home. (4). The best thing that we can do as parents to keep our children safe from drugs is educate ourselves about the drug use trends in our community. If we teach our children about street drugs and the negative effects of drug use it will better equip them to just “say no” when they are exposed to them when they are older.

(1)Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Na
tional Survey on Drug use. Methamphetamine use, abuse and dependence: 2002, 2003, and 2004. SAMHSA Website. Available at: http://oas.samhsa.gov/2K5/meth/meth.htm Accessed April 2006.
(2) National Institute on Drug Abuse. NIDA Community drug alert bulletin-methamphetamine. NIDA Website. Available at: http://www.drugabuse.gov/Methalert/Methalert.html Accessed April 2006.
(3)National Institute on Drug Abuse. Research Report Series: methamphetamine abuse and addiction. NIDA Website available at:
www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/ methamp/methamph3.htm#long. Accessed April 2006.
(4)Koch Crime Institute. Is there a meth lab cookin’ in your neighborhood? KCI Website. Available at: www.kci.org/meth_info/neighborhood_lab. htm. Accessed April 2006.

Lisa Kelly R.N., P.N.P.,C.
Certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Pediatric Advice for Parents