At 30 years old, I couldn’t believe I had been living the way I had been for the last two years. Though I had used drugs since the age of 12, I never really had a problem with them — or so I thought. I thought of myself as a functioning member of society. But, at 30, I was on the verge of losing a job that I really liked. Learn more

MethResources.gov
The federal government’s comprehensive directory of information and programs related to methamphetamine.

Just Think Twice
A youth oriented site created by the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Demand Reduction Program.

Office of National Drug Control Policy – Methamphetamine Fact Sheet
Detailed description of methamphetamine and other resources.

The Drug Enforcement Administration – Meth Information

The National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children
Comprised of individuals and organizations concerned about children endangered by caregivers who manufacture drugs, or deal drugs or use them and by doing so physically or psychologically endanger children.

National Association of Counties - Meth Action Clearinghouse
NACo is committed to raising public awareness about and helping counties respond to the nation’s methamphetamine drug problem.

KCI: The Anti-Meth Site
Extensive resources and links about meth.

I was raised by addicts, and I always said as a child that I didn’t want to be like my parents, but that didn’t last. I started drinking with friends and partying, thinking that because I knew a lot about addiction that I could control what I was doing. Learn more

Partnership Local Programs
Local information about methamphetamine is available from the Partnership’s local chapters, affiliates and alliances. They can provide you with information about methamphetamine in your state or community, and ways you can get involved in your community’s efforts against methamphetamine and other drugs. Visit the Partnership’s local office finder for the program in your state.

Methresources.gov
The federal government has established an online clearinghouse of methamphetamine information, which includes a directory of programs, fact sheets, and events, organized on a state-by-state basis. Visit Methresources.gov’s Meth in Your State page.

There’s been quite a lot of attention to methamphetamine in the news lately. Here’s a round-up of recent quotes commenting on the addictive nature of this drug as well as its effects on the body and the community.

ADDICTION

“The crystalline white drug quickly seduces those who snort, smoke or inject it with a euphoric rush of confidence, hyperalertness and sexiness that lasts for hours on end. And then it starts destroying lives.”
- David J. Jefferson, “America’s Most Dangerous Drug” Newsweek August 8, 2005

“Meth can quickly transform casual users into junkies…”
- Richard Jerome, People August 8, 2005

“This is a drug that has an insatiable pull even among people who’ve been off it for several years.”
- Dominic Ippolito “My Life as a Drug Dealer” Newsweek August 1, 2005

“‘With meth, there’s no such thing as a casual user,’ says Joseph Frascella, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in Bethesda, Maryland. ‘The younger someone starts using meth, the worse the outcome.’”
- David Weiss, “The Deadliest Drug You’ve Never Heard Of” Ladies Home Journal August 2005

“Things had descended in a way that I never could have imagined, and I shocked myself with my ability to rationalize and tolerate things that were once unthinkable. He’s just experimenting. Going through a stage. It’s only marijuana. He gets high only on weekends. At least he’s not using heroin. He would never resort to needles. At least he’s alive.”
- David Sheff, “My Addicted Son” The New York Times, February 6, 2005

EFFECTS

“The first thing people on methamphetamine lose is their common sense.”
- Michael Specter, “Higher Risk” The New Yorker May 23, 2005

“The physical effects of methamphetamine use are often jarring — from sunken eyes and bone-thin frames to teeth that turn gray and deteriorate.
- Martha Irvine, “States Grapple With Growing Teen Meth Use” The Associated Press April 10, 2005

“In short stretches of time, sometimes just months, a perfectly healthy set of teeth can turn a grayish-brown, twist and begin to fall out, and take on a peculiar texture less like that of hard enamel and more like that of a piece of fruit.”
- Monica Davey, “Grisly Effect of One Drug: ‘Meth Mouth’” The New York Times June 11, 2005

“Among some suburban teens, meth is known as ‘the Jenny Crank diet.’”
- David Weiss, “The Deadliest Drug You’ve Never Heard Of” Ladies Home Journal August 2005

COMMUNITY

“More than 12 million Americans have tried methamphetamine, and 1.5 million are regular users.”
- David J. Jefferson, “America’s Most Dangerous Drug” Newsweek August 8, 2005

“Meth addicts are pouring into prisons and recovery centers at an ever-increasing rate, and a new generation of ‘meth babies’ is choking the foster-care system in many states.”
- David J. Jefferson, “America’s Most Dangerous Drug” Newsweek August 8, 2005

“Since many meth ingredients are flammable, one false move by a cook can yield disaster.”
- Arian Campo-Flores, “The Fallout” Newsweek August 8, 2005

“Untold families who bought homes in recent years live in former meth labs. Some, upon discovering their homes were filled with residue from acetone, red phosphorus and other toxic agents, have fled, losing their investment and a life’s worth of treasured possessions.”
- Richard Jerome “Home Toxic Home?” People August 8, 2005