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Meth Epedemic

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Meth Epedemic
View on the Meth Epidemic

The Frontline documentary,” The Meth Epidemic”, is a very educational video on the drug, methamphetamine. The video discusses the impact of the drug on individuals and their families, as well as the communities they live in. Meth has been shown to be a difficult drug to control. The history of the drug and many different attempts by the Drug Enforcement Agency to control the battle against the drug are also mentioned. In the video, meth is described as being the most addictive illegal drug in America.

Meth has a major impact on those who choose to use the drug, as well as those around them. It is considered a super stimulant. Meth alters an addict’s physical appearance. Meth also leads to poor hygiene, broken, and rotten teeth, also known as “meth mouth”. The video shows the gradual decay of a person’s physical appearance and the amount of open sores that appear to worsen as a person continues to use this drug. The open sores are a result of hallucinations in which the person imagines bugs crawling beneath their skin, also known as formication. The drug also results in impaired healing and a weakened immune system. Poor hygiene also leads to rotting and missing teeth. Meth affects the part of the brain that produces dopamine, and eventually the brain no longer can produce dopamine on its own so the addict then uses methamphetamine in an attempt to reach the same euphoric state and the cycle of addiction continues. Meth not only produces a euphoric high but also gives the user an increased energy level, along with a decrease in appetite. Meth can cause an increased blood pressure as well as lasting problems relating to the heart. The effects of meth can last up to one day.

The video mentions that 50% of children in the foster care system come from homes with meth addicts as parents. For example, a 10 year old girl in the video was quoted saying that she knew how to make the drug, the feel the smell of the meth

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