INFORMATIVE SPEECH After my classmates have seen and heard my eight minute speech they will know the

following three aspects of methamphetamine. 1) The definition of methamphetamine 2) The effects of methamphetamine 3) The meth treatments INTRODUCTION Im sure everyone has felt or experienced a euphoric state. The one when you feel that transcendent happiness combined with and overwhelming sense of contentment. Maybe those natural behaviors and activities like the ones from an orgasm or for some people, the triumph of an athlete. The athlete feels powerful and invisible. What if a dose of a substance can do just that. Your maximum potential going off the charts like the movie limitless. But like every other psychoactive substance there are horrific side effects. Users have confessed it has taken their souls making them empty. Now how scary is that? Methamphetamine some call it the "Devil's Drug." Today there are 1.4 million meth users in America and the number is rising. Unlike heroin or cocaine, methamphetamine can be produced at home, using a concoction of easily available household chemicals according to the FRONTLINE Educational Foundation. All over the United States, thousands of dealers sell methamphetamine under the street names crank, crystal, glass, speed, or ice. Often made in less than an hour from a common cold remedy. From my research I have discovered that methamphetamine is not new. For years, abuse has spread from rural areas of the West and South, slowly expanding to the Midwest and the East. Today meth abuse exists around the globe. PREVIEW Today I will tell you the definition of methamphetamine, the effects of meth and the meth treatments. BODY I) THE DEFINITION OF METHAMPHETAMINE A) Meth is a powerful addictive synthetic stimulant drug that causes the brain to release a surge of dopamine. It can be injected, smoked, or snorted. One hit can keep a user high for as long as eight hours and a whole dose from 8 to 24hrs. More addictive than cocaine or alcohol, meth locks users in a devastating cycle.

TRANSITION Now that I have told you what methamphetamine is, I will tell you the effects of it. II) THE EFFECTS OF METHAMPHETAMINE Experts from the Frontline meth epidemic organization describe that A) The way it works - it affects the central nervous system by releasing high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine which stimulates the brain resulting in a prolonged sense of pleasure or euphoria for the user; however, over time, this causes severe side effects. With repeated use, meth depletes the brain's stores of dopamine and actually destroys the wiring of the dopamine receptors. This is a major reason why users become so addicted to the drug; without it they are no longer able to experience pleasure and the usually slip into depression. B) Although dopamine receptors can grow back over time, studies have suggested that chronic meth use can cause other permanent brain damage, such as declines in reasoning, judgment and motor skills. Dopamine receptors are so influential in the function of the brain and the emotions. C) In addition, meth is a powerful stimulant that causes the heart to race and the blood vessels to constrict, which can lead to a number of serious medical problems, including heart attack, stroke and even death. During these energy-fueled meth "runs," which can last days, users generally exhibit poor judgment and dangerous, hyperactive behavior. For instance, many addicts have committed petty and violent crime when high on the drug, and even for casual users the drug can increase the libido and lead them to engage in risky, unprotected sex. Long-time users have been known to develop symptoms of psychosis, including paranoia, aggression, hallucinations and delusions. D) Over time meth appears to cause reduced levels of dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson's disease and type-two schizophrenia. Meth causes increased heart rate and blood pressure and can cause irreversible damage to blood vessels in the brain, producing strokes. Other effects of meth include respiratory problems, irregular heartbeat and extreme anorexia. Its use can result in cardiovascular collapse and death. Exerpt from NMTF Article: Wasted toxins from Meth Labs Endanger communities. TRANSITION Now that I have told you what methamphetamine is and the effects, I will tell you the methods of treatment. III) THE METHODS USED TO TREAT METHAMPHETAMINE A) Treating meth takes years of medication and behavior therapy.

1) Experts once thought cases of meth addiction were hopeless -- a high percentage would always relapse -- but today they know that recovery is possible, although it may take years of medication and behavior therapy. 2) Because methamphetamine changes the brain's wiring by destroying its dopamine receptors, users need almost a year to allow those receptors to regrow. Until then, addicts cannot experience pleasure without the drug, and most slip into a deep depression that may cause them to relapse. This depression can be treated with psychopharmacology, and now many treatment programs include prescriptions for anti-depressants. 3) Counseling helps them cope with their cravings, examine the personal issues that lead to the abuse, and help them avoid situations that may cause a relapse. Many treatment experts insist that out-patient treatment is essential to recovery, with some programs starting to work with addicts even while they are still using the drug. CONCLUSION My thoughts are that the problem is not the people, but the drug. There should be more MethAwareness programs available and more information taught about this in schools to teenagers. There has been improvement alterations made to express more information about this drug, in the last few years, but there still needs to be more. People need to see what the life of a Methaddict is like. Meth-Users do not see reality from fiction. It takes months for them to sober up and realize what is happening to them. But the drive for the drug to grasp them again, they can not pull away. Its a death sentence once consumed or whatever reason.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1) pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/faqs/ - Prof. Rawson description 2) NORTH METRO TASK FORCE - www.nmtf.us/methamphetamine/methamphetamine.htm
Article Jim Gerhardt of the HIDA Task Force says Methamphetamine "is like a virus infecting us right now"