How Meth Is Used

(Page 3 of 13 In This Section)

Meth Dosages & Methods Of Taking Methamphetamine

Dosages

The amount of meth you actually use versus the effect it will have depends a lot on your physical makeup or fitness, your metabolism, how frequent a user you are, how you're typically ingesting or taking it, and the purity of the meth you're using. So there are many factors to consider, because the purity of meth is all over the map depending on where you buy it, and who you buy it from. That's why the statement, "Everyone who tries meth will become addicted, or everyone who tries it more than X amount of times will become addicted," is really quite stupid. When you say "meth," you're not dealing with some consistent, off-the-shelf product - you're dealing with something that is incredibly "variable" from a variety of perspectives.

In fact, some meth that's been seized has turned out on testing to be more Ecstasy than methamphetamine and vice-versa, so you never know. However, with the huge rise of crystal meth, the average dose the average user is ingesting on the average day is packing much more of a punch than in years gone by because it's typically much purer, all other factors being equal. Most crystal meth or meth in "Ice" form today are coming out of the lab (and probably a Mexican superlab) as 90 to 100% pure.

Also, a"point" or street dose of meth varies from locale to locale. In some areas, a "point" of meth is considered a tenth of a gram, or 100 milligrams. In other areas, a "point" might be a quarter gram, or 250 milligrams. And as a rule of thumb, heavy, chronic users of meth will require 2 - 3 times the amount of a casual meth user.

Other Street Terminology For Quantities Of Meth:

A "Quarter" - is a quarter gram of meth, or 250 milligrams

A "Half" - is a half gram of meth, or 500 milligrams

A "Teener", "Teenager" "Half-Ball" - is 1/16th of an ounce, 1.8 grams, or half an "8-Ball"

An "8-Ball" - is 1/8th of an ounce, 3.5 grams

An ounce is just that - an ounce.

Depending on how an ounce of meth is "cut," or "stepped on," it can be divided up into between 115 to 280 "points" or street doses.

Methods Of Meth Ingestion

The following discusses some of the more popular ways that meth is taken. This is not intended as a "how-to" for people wanting to learn how to use methamphetamine. It's design to enlighten parents, educators, treatment workers, and anyone else concerned about meth as to the reality of using this drug. If you don't know how it's done, you don't know what to look for. And if you don't know what to look for, you can't be of much help to someone with a problem. So here are the methods:

Oral Ingestion Of Methamphetamine (swallowing)

Powder meth, or pulverized crystal meth can be taken orally, although simply swallowing the powder isn't that easy. So most users who are swallowing meth will use different delivery vehicles to get it into their stomach.

Some will create a pill by using empty gelatin capsules which can be obtained at most health food stores. Others who swallow meth will mix it in a variety of liquids such as juice, soda, tea, coffee and even

alcohol.

The Parachute Method Of Taking Meth

Another method of taking meth is the "parachute method," where the meth is wrapped in toilet or facial tissue, or half-ply paper towel. It's then swallowed, causing a delayed release into the stomach. Many will tell you to be extremely careful "parachuting" meth, because you usually end up taking way more than you need and it's like getting hit by a freight train.

Another way of ingesting meth orally is by putting it in a liquid, like a soft drink, coffee, or some other drink. This method is most popular with workplace users, but it's also a great way to keep your use more hidden. (compared to hot-railing meth, or smoking)

Onset Of The High With This Method Of Using Meth

And Unique Considerations

Generally, if you're swallowing meth, the onset of the high is between 15 and 30 minutes. For some though, it comes fast and when it's at full force, you'll feel like you're being hit by a car. Depending on the amount and purity, the overall effects might be less intense than as with other methods, but the high will generally last longer. Nausea is often experienced with this method of taking methamphetamine.

Believe it or not, this method of taking meth offers the user, for lack of a better expression, some safeguards. First, if you're taking meth that's full of contaminants or adulterants you weren't expecting, your system might involuntarily cause you to vomit it back up.

Secondly, if you begin to feel other than how you want to feel, (like way "over-amped") you could induce yourself to vomit, thus reducing the full effect. Just remember though, by the time you're starting to feel weird or badly, you already have some meth in your system that you can't get rid of by vomiting. So if you're starting to feel like this was a bad idea and you force yourself to throw up, it's probably still going to get a bit worse before it gets better.

And lastly, obviously with this method of doing meth you're not sharing any "tools" (pipes, straws, tubes, or needles) so the risk of infection from other users you're sharing with is at least reduced. However, if you have a known, or undiagnosed stomach condition such as an ulcer, this method of ingestion is dangerous because you could irritate that existing condition.

No matter how much you love this method, it won't last long, because in a very short time, your system will demand a faster, more intense high, and ultimately, swallowing just won't cut it. Addiction is progressive, so most people graduate to other forms of ingestion fairly quickly. Even if they've used other method before and are trying to "step down" by using orally, it won't last too long. Ultimately, they'll go for whatever method gets them the high they require neurologically. So if you're trying to use oral ingestion to taper off and quit, don't bother - because the only way to quit any addiction is to quit completely.

But since meth is actually a decongestant, meth snorters don't tend to sound all stuffed up like a coke snorter, because cocaine constricts blood vessels in the nose. However, since a "hungry" meth snorter doesn't tend to be the most patient person in the world, often they don't chop up, or pulverize their meth completely into fine powder. As a result, sometimes they will inadvertently snort up chunks which become temporarily lodged in the nasal cavity and this can cause major damage to the membrane. The introduction of flavored meth (also known as "Strawberry Meth, Strawberry Quick, Raspberry & Chocolate Quick") is generally most popular with snorters, because it hides a lot of the bitterness.

The onset of the meth high when ingested by snorting is typically between two and five minutes with a steep curve. Depending on the length of line snorted and its purity, this method will also induce a fairly intense "rush."

this activity, at the very least don't share meth "tools", and if you do, clean them before use because you're going to have enough to worry about without adding the risk of some serious illnesses to the mix.

Next, we're going to take a look at what's probably the most popular method of using methamphetamine, and that's by smoking it. And it's when the refinement of meth made it possible to smoke it, that the popularity of the drug really took off.