Meth Help

Teens and meth are becoming a hand-in-hand topic as teens become more of the prominent methamphetamine users in the United States. Over the past few years the trends of meth use among teens is beginning to grow. Teens and meth use is a continuing problem and needs to be addressed.

Teens and meth can be a dangerous combination especially because they may not understand the complete list of risks involved with using meth. Many teens reportedly begin using the drug because it is known as the newest cool party drug, and is even beginning to replace the concept of marijuana as the leading drug of popularity among teens. In recent years, about 12.4 million teens over the age of 12 have reported to trying meth at least once in their life. Meth is also becoming a growing trend with teen girls. Part of the reason for this is because meth is often used as a method of weightloss, and girls looking to lose weight think they will be able to do so by using this drug. 

The trend of teens and meth:

The use of meth by teens is considered to be tragic because the most severe and often irreversible damage is done to these teens at a young age. Meth is a highly addictive drug, which is often why teens get addicted in the first place when really all they wanted to do was use it as a party drug. Because after a few times of using meth, it is so easy for teens and users to get addicted, the likelihood of getting addicted to meth is so common. Once the user becomes addicted to the drug, any sort of treatment becomes virtually ineffective, according to researchers. Only about six percent of users who enter rehabilitation residential treatment centers for less than a month, stay clean. However, many addicts will end up in jail or on the streets or even in a mental institution. About one-fifth of all addicts who entered treatment in the past year were found to be under the age of 18. 

The effects of teens and meth:

The effects of teens using meth can be devastating both physically and psychologically. Meth can rot a person's teeth and also can permanently damage a person's blood vessels in their brain. Users are also prone to extreme anorexia because of the appetite suppressant that comes with meth use. Other physical symptoms include heart attack, tremors, stroke, lung damage, kidney damage as well as damage to the liver. The psychological effects of meth use and teens are also often just as devastating as the physical effects. Teens are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors while under the influence of meth as well as violent tendencies and interaction with law enforcement. 

Because prolonged use of meth can cause so many negative neurological effects, it is no wonder so many teens and adult users of meth end up in mental institutions. The best way to stop the meth use from getting out of hand among teens is to emphasize the dangers and risk of using meth with teens in schools and at home. Parents and educators need to take an active role in teaching their teens about these kinds of drugs. They are incredibly harmful and even harder to treat once the addiction has begun. Some states have also taken active roles in trying to cut down on the meth epidemic in their area by prohibiting the sale of certain types of cold medications that are used to make meth. Teens usually don't realize about the other ingredients found and used in meth like Draino and other harmful substances. Meth labs are prone to blowing up because of the types of chemicals used to create the drug. There is a misconception that many teens will choose to use drugs only if they live in a rural area. However, that is not the case. The number of teens using meth in urban locations is continuing to grow exponentially. Meth is such a harmful drug that needs to be stopped before it continues to take over the lives of millions of teens and adults throughout the United States. 

Sources: mtv.com, adolescent-substance-abuse.com