A document published by the United Nations estimates that there are around 34 million people who use amphetamines across the world. Meth (short for methamphetamine) belongs to this family of drugs; however, the contemporary use of meth is very far removed from its origins.
Meth’s chemical beginnings occurred in 1885, with the work of Japanese chemist Nagayoshi Nagai. This then led to medicinal uses of methamphetamine during the Second World War and before the drug became commonly prescribed during the 1950s and 60s.
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In the following decades, meth has slipped through the confines of the pharmaceutical realm, leading to an increasing underground demand for the drug for its recreational properties.
What is Methamphetamine?
Meth: The Scientific Basics
Methamphetamine (or meth) is a stimulant. This means it primarily acts on the central nervous system and speeds up the messages sent between body and brain. It belongs to a group of drugs known as amphetamines (or sometimes amphetamine-type stimulants) which are the second most commonly used type of illegal drug in the world.
The impact of meth is largely dopaminergic, meaning the feeling of a ‘high’ is achieved through the drug’s interaction with dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of pleasure and reward, meaning that a sudden surge of dopamine can often be a motivating factor. It can reduce stress and make us feel more relaxed and positive. When dopamine is released during drug use, for instance, we are unconsciously motivated to seek out the use of the drug again.
It can be found in different forms, for example, as a powder that is typically bitter and white in colouration (considered as ‘true’ meth) or in a crystalline form that is dissolvable in liquid (hence the name ‘crystal’ meth).
Meth has a short half-life, meaning that both the high and the come-down work quickly. This can be dangerous as it leads to the drug acting in short bursts. Subsequently, it’s very common for meth to be taken in successive use.
Meth: The Legal Basics
In the UK, methamphetamine is categorised as a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
This means that there are legal penalties (such as fines or potential prison sentences) for the
- Possession,
- Selling,
- Dealing,
- Sharing,
- Or production
of methamphetamine. These fines can be unlimited. Possession can lead to up to 7 years in prison, whilst supply and production can lead to life.
Nagayoshi Nagai and Methamphetamine Discovery
A Brief History of Ephedra
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The history of methamphetamine begins with Japanese chemist Nagayoshi Nagai, who discovered meth through the process of synthesising ephedrine.
Ephedrine is a substance derived from ephedra, a shrub that grows in China. Ephedra (or ma-haung) was catalogued in an overview of over 300 herbs by Emperor Shen Nung in 2,700 BC.
Dried plant matter from the ma-haung shrub was shipped into Japan from the sixteenth century, when the plant was recognised for a range of medical properties, including:
- as an antitussive (treatment of a cough)
- as a diaphoretic (inducing sweating)
- and an antipyretic (reducing fever)
- in circulatory stimulation (boosting blood flow)
Ephedra is a central nervous system stimulant, particularly on the limbic and hypothalamus.
The Synthesising of Ephedrine
Nagayoshi Nagai studied medicine in Nagasaki and Tokyo before studying chemistry in Berlin for over a decade. His work led to the isolation of ephedrine (one of the key active agents in ephedra) in 1885.
After ephedrine’s initial synthesis, several researchers investigated the specific effects of the substance, finding that it dilated the pupil, acted upon both blood pressure and heart rate and served as a muscle relaxant for tissues in the airway. This led to the developing an ephedrine-based medicine for respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Developing Ephedrine
In 1923, academics Ko Kuei Chen and Carl F Schmidt started to work on ephedrine. They were, at the time, unaware of Nagai’s work. In their research they identified that ephedrine works similarly to adrenaline, but for a longer period. They hypothesised that this was due to the similar chemical structure between the two substances. Chen and Schmidt then published their findings, and ephedrine was subsequently used as a treatment for asthma until the late 1940s.
Methamphetamine in World War II
In 1919, Akira Ogata synthesised Nagai’s drug into a crystal form. This form could be smoked. Methamphetamine was then used during the Second World War having been released onto the commercial market in 1938.
The drug was heavily used by soldiers – often without the consent of army physicians – to increase the physical and mental capacities of the troops.
Soldiers from the UK, US, Japan and Germany used methamphetamine and similar substances (such as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine).
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German soldiers notoriously used Pervitan, which was referred to as ‘pazerschokloade’ or tank chocolate, a drug that hit production highs between April and July of 1940.
The British RAF used methamphetamines in the form of Benzedrine until its use was prohibited in September 1939.
The Rise of Methamphetamine Addiction
With ephedrine becoming readily available and being taken on a long-term basis in the form of asthma medicine by many, the darker side to methamphetamine started to be uncovered.
Side effects of heavy meth use include:
- anxiety and nervousness
- feeling restless and agitated
- difficulty sleeping
- potential paranoid psychosis
- suicidal ideation
- potential homicidal ideation
From the 1950s, ephedrine inhalers were largely abandoned in the search for less risky alternatives.
The drug has since been used in ADHD medications and weight loss treatment, though, due to side effects, this is typically a last resort and used in small doses.
But this does not mean that meth use stopped entirely. In fact, the use of meth wasn’t necessarily reduced, but simply went ‘underground’ in the following decades. Meth appeared to peak in popularity in the 1980s.
Whilst it may not appear as common as other illicit drugs such as cannabis or cocaine, meth use remains relatively high, leading to the so-called ‘methamphetamine problem.’
Get Help at Meth Rehab
If you are struggling to control your use of meth, there are options available to help you curb your addiction. We would be more than happy to chat with you about the options available at our UKAT centres. Our dedicated team can talk you through the different types of intervention we offer (including supervised meth detox and dedicated meth rehab) to help you decide what form of support would best suit you.
Contact us today to make a referral for treatment at one of our specialist rehab centres.
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