Category: International

It is unlikely that those who dabble with meth or it’s even more addictive relative; ice, consider just where and in what conditions this drug is produced.

Here are a few facts as to the damage this drug is doing to those who produce it, those who consume it, and the potential danger posed to those who have nothing whatsoever to do with it.

Production facilities – Basement kitchens:

While there are undoubtedly some very large production facilities the world over we will focus on the many smaller ones which are established in suburban and rural areas.

These home “Laboratories” are to be found in garages, derelict buildings, unused outbuildings, and more worryingly rented rooms, apartments or houses in busy neighbourhoods.

Ingredients

Meth is not that difficult to produce. Once a regular quantity of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are secured there are then a whole variety of other ingredients which can be combined.

The majority of these key ingredients are not only toxic they are highly flammable, but are readily available for purchase from many outlets such as chemists, supermarkets and hardware stores.

Common ingredients include drain cleaner, rubbing alcohol, lithium contained in batteries, anhydrous ammonia, red phosphorous, de-icer, lye and iodine, but other ingredients can be added or substituted dependent upon what is on hand at the time.

Those who are regularly using meth should consider exactly what such substances can do to their long term physical and mental health.

‘Cooks’ involved:

Those responsible for cooking meth are rarely skilled in chemistry and usually heavily addicted themselves. Their lack of knowledge relating to chemical reactions and their impaired mental capacity due to the influence of the drug often means the production process is prone to error and danger.

They may be vaguely aware that when these ingredients are combined there is a potential for a highly explosive and corrosive solution to be created, but due to their desperation and need to produce large quantities of the drug these thoughts often take a back seat.

What they are unlikely to be aware of is the fact that breathing the toxic fumes created during production can cause irreparable harm to their nasal passages, lungs and brain.

A catastrophe waiting to happen:

The unstable minds of those working in these kitchens coupled with the potentially lethal combinations of ingredients is a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Many cooks will suffer severe burns caused by ingredients bubbling over or by spillages caused while transferring ingredients.

There is also the possibility that due to the highly volatile nature of ingredients used that explosions will occur. Such a disaster can result in the demolition of the property and death to those inside.

Damaging by-products of this process:

For every pound in weight of finished meth there is between 5 and 7 pounds of toxic waste left behind.

Do not think for one moment that those involved in production will consider how to safely dispose of such waste. They will simply dump it on waste ground, in nearby streams or lakes or leave it behind before moving onto their next location.

If these toxic chemicals filter into the water system they can contaminate drinking water, there is also a possibility that toxic vapours can be absorbed into flooring, air vents, walls and furniture of rented homes. Obviously this leave any future, unsuspecting tenants at risk from health problems that such residue leaves.

Signs of an active meth house:

It is clear that most meth users are not producers, but those who purchase this highly addictive drug should be aware of their contribution to the potential damage such use is causing.

They should also be aware that it is not difficult for authorities to be alerted to the fact that a residential property is being used for production.

Once surveillance is established this will include watching dealer and customer activity. If you are identified as purchasing the drug, then there is a strong likelihood prosecution will follow.

Common signs of a meth house include those who are resident being unfriendly and often paranoid towards neighbours, the unnecessary reinforcement of doors and windows, and the fact they rarely put rubbish out for general collection.

Other pointers include unemployed tenants who seem to have plenty of money, those who pay rent in cash and the fact that the house is very quiet during the day but receives excessive foot traffic during late hours.

There is help that will enable you to walk away from meth use:

If you are in the very early stages of meth use there is a strong possibility that by changing your mindset and stopping use immediately you will be able to walk away from use unassisted.

If, as is the case for many, this wickedly addictive drug has currently got the better of you simply ceasing use is not a viable option. The pull of the drug and an overwhelming desire to continue use needs to be addressed with the help of professional drug rehabilitation services.

These establishments are well versed in the process of addiction recovery and are there to help. By taking advantage of this assistance you will be on the road to leaving meth and its devastating effects exactly where it belongs; behind you.

‘Yes’ or ‘No’ are very regular, natural responses given to questions or requests others ask. In the vast majority of cases you will give a straight answer, because that is how it should be.

But, there is one common question that many young people say ‘yes’ to when they really mean ‘no’.

Sampling illegal drugs:

If a friend or one of the group you regularly hang out with let it be known they have been offered drugs and are definitely ‘going to have a go’ while urging you to join them, you are faced with an instant dilemma.

On the one hand drugs are something that will have been talked about, but on the other, you are in no rush to get involved. When the chance to try them becomes very real you do not want to be seen as a ‘stick in the mud’ or appear scared by the prospect.

In many cases the response you give will go against your better judgement. Out of a misplaced sense of loyalty, or perhaps a fear of being spurned by those who are ‘up for it’, you will agree.

Once in this situation you will then do your level best to silently convince yourself that the uneasy decision made can surely do no harm whatsoever.

This peer pressure is something that you must resist, and for very good reasons. Here are just a few examples of why declining such an offer is really the only sensible way to go. Please rest assured there are many, many more waiting in the wings:

What is being offered?

It is very likely you will have heard anecdotal tales of just how ‘wicked’ drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamines, or its purer and highly potent derivative; ice, make the user feel.

It is very unlikely that you or the others involved in this upcoming experiment will understand what other chemicals and fillers these drugs contain. If you are in the dark, here are a few pointers:

Think of chemicals used in rat poison, battery acid, drain cleaner or dog worming tablets, then consider traces of stimulants, anti-depressants, caffeine, corn starch and talcum powder.

The list goes on, and in many cases the contents of what you actually take are dependent upon what the ‘basement kitchen mixologists’ have available at any given time.

As methamphetamine use is rapidly rising let’s take a quick reality check on what happens before it lands in your hands.

This viciously addictive drug has ruined many lives and is guaranteed to destroy many more. Many of those involved in its production are already heavily addicted.

Quality control is not in their vocabulary, having said that, neither is health and safety. The mix of blends and slipshod production methods often used lead to a highly inflammable ‘working’ environment. On top of that the finished product leaves behind excessive amounts of toxic waste.

The hazards of this endeavour can lead to horrific consequences for these unqualified chemists. Many suffer severe burns due to spillage, or accidents caused while boiling the mixes. Others go a fatal step further by causing explosions that destroy the kitchen and themselves.

Forget the dodgy ingredients, the high’s received make it all worthwhile!

It cannot be denied that the raft of readily available street drugs gives some very pleasurable feelings. These highs vary in length and intensity, but we are generally talking in terms of just a few hours per hit.

This relatively brief high leaves very ‘moreish’ desires and as you begin to ‘come down’, many feel a strong urge to seek out more in an attempt to recreate and maintain those original good feelings.

What goes up must come down!

This very old and apt saying fits perfectly with illegal drug use. Yes, these highly addictive drugs can get you right up there, but this comes at a price. As the effects of the drug wear off your mind and body waste very little time in letting you know.

Feelings of immense tiredness will wash over you. This is not really surprising as during a drug taking session sleep is not something you will entertain.

An overpowering lethargy hits many. Activities enjoyed prior to becoming involved with drugs will be a struggle. The more often you dabble the less likely you are to even bother attempting things you used to enjoy.

Anxiety, increased nervousness and a much shorter fuse to your temper will simmer just below the surface, and as a general malaise sets in your thoughts will turn to how you can ‘make things better’.

Simple solution – Go and get more!

Those previous highs will be remembered and many will convince themselves that if they just had ‘one more go’ they would be able to get themselves together.

It is very important to understand that your body and mind take to illegal drugs readily and quickly build up a tolerance to them. The more often you indulge, the more you will want.

Regular thoughts of how good things felt when you were high will surface. In contrast to this the lows you suffer become deeper. Thoughts of seeking more will become stronger. Once this cycle quickens you are heading towards the early stages of dependence

The cravings will increase as will the desire to keep using. But over time you need larger quantities simply to achieve the same high as previously experienced.

The longer this cycle turns, the harder it is to stop using. The uneasy feelings of coming down will increase as will your desire to ‘score’ again and again.

Drug use is NOT easy to control:

Illegal drug use is something that is very difficult to control. Their highly addictive nature sees to that.

Saying NO and meaning NO when given the chance to experiment may be very hard to do at the time, but this response is nowhere near as difficult to bear as the potential heartbreak excessive drug use can bring.

Gambling is part of the fabric in many societies and is a pastime enjoyed by millions of men and women on a regular basis.

The vast majority take it for what it can offer; excitement, enjoyment and an opportunity to benefit financially or to win prizes large and small.

As long as the stake placed is well within your means and this occasional flutter remains just that, the thrill of gambling can be a pleasant diversion. Unfortunately, far too many find its addictive qualities something they cannot control.

Let’s take a look at some of the progressing signs that should tell you to back away before things get out of hand. We will also touch on some of the problems dependence upon gambling is famed for, and what professional help is required for those who are too far down the line to stop placing bets.

Crossing the ‘losing’ line:

In gambling parlance, crossing the winning line first is where we all want to be, but it is extremely important to realise that whatever form of gambling takes your fancy, the odds on offer make you an outsider well before the off.

The casino operators and bookmakers see to that. Charities they are certainly not! And this is seen in the odds offered for whatever bet you place.

Of course, someone has to win, but for every winner it is a dead cert there are many more losers.

If you start to find that losing is affecting your mood, attitude and temper then it is time to back-off.

Ever higher stakes placed:

This is a classic sign that the thrill once felt when placing a bet is being replaced by something deeper and far more damaging.

Your first couple of punts go down, then a winner pops up, after that, losing becomes a far more regular occurrence and the stakes you have placed, and lost begin to mount up.

Many are compelled to gamble on an ‘obvious’ solution; up the stakes on the next bet and recoup those loses.

It sounds great in principle, but the reality is far less certain. Even if this risk pays off many gamblers will simply have broken even on the outlay spent during their latest gambling session.

The obvious downside to this approach is if this bigger gamble does not come off. The ‘reward’ is deepening worry, increasing financial strain, and an even stronger urge to recoup your outlay at the next gambling opportunity.

Once you have started, you are finding it harder to stop:

Many who are in the early stages of gambling will quite sensibly have a preset limit to play with. If they make a profit, then its smiles all round, if it is lost, a shrug of the shoulders and a ‘better luck next time’ attitude is taken.

The problem is that the more regularly this novice group begin to gamble, the more they are becoming hooked. Many quickly allocate larger funds to their ‘pot’, and once they get into the adrenalin fuelled atmosphere of gambling they find it harder and harder to stop.

This is regardless of whether they are winning, losing or breaking even, and is a sure sign the betting bug is beginning to bite deeper.

Gambling even when you do not have the finances:

The raft of ‘walk-in’ gambling opportunities open to many is already mind-boggling and online gambling has simply heaped explosive fuel onto the burning betting fire.

24/7/365 is not necessarily the lottery jackpot number this week (although it could well be!), it is how many hours each day of every week, throughout the year a bet can be placed.

Every 4^th year you even get an extra day thanks to leap year. Those who cannot resist a punt will do so even though they have emptied their bank accounts, maxed out their credit cards, and probably started to borrow or steal money to feed their habit.

Please be very clear; if you have reached this stage, then urgent professional rehab assistance is required.

Why do so many continue to gamble?

Compulsive gamblers suffer from uncontrollable urges to gamble. This is because they have an impulse-control disorder. The act of gambling stimulates the brain’s reward system in a similar way to how alcohol affects an alcoholic.

Those addicted to gambling cannot resist. This is despite the fact they know personal, relationship and financial heartbreak are rapidly gathering momentum.

They also live in denial of their problem, it is this denial that prevents so many from seeking help until their personal life is in tatters. Relationships with their partners can become untenable, they have financial problems galore, and unsurprisingly many suffer from illnesses such as depression, stress and anxiety.

To make matters worse many have been increasingly using alcohol or illegal substances as an additional crutch.

Professional rehab assistance is an absolute must:

It may often seem to those who are suffering from a gambling disorder that there is no way out. If you are currently in this situation it is vital to understand that professional help is available, and while there will be extremely challenging issues to confront and overcome, it is eminently achievable.

A stay as an inpatient at a rehabilitation centre is certainly a very positive way to go. You will be taken out of your normal environment, helped to understand the root cause of how and why your gambling began, and reasons it has spiraled out of all control.

Intensive counselling will help you to come to terms with and overcome your gambling urges. Just as importantly you will learn how to avoid potential relapse situations and important aftercare options will be recommended.

Many also find regular attendance of voluntary group meetings help maintain their abstinence.

If excessive and uncontrollable gambling is currently destroying your life, please contact a qualified rehab establishment now. It is one punt you are strongly advised to take.

The word; overdose, quite rightly strikes fear to the core of those heavily into illegal drug use.

There is a possibility that anyone who suffers an overdose can come through unscathed, but there is also a very good chance you will have to live with extremely unwanted physical and mental issues after such an episode.

Then there is the ultimate downer to take into consideration. Those who do not survive will have unwittingly booked a morgue berth far too early.

Let’s take a look at how an overdose is defined, some of the reasons it can happen and what you MUST do before it actually does happen to YOU.

Definition of an overdose:

This is when a person accidently or intentionally takes their ‘poison(s)’ of choice in an amount that is higher than normally used.

It is possible to overdose on prescription or over the counter drugs. It is also common for those in a depressive state to take an excessive amount of pills or medicines in an attempt to end it all with suicide, but we will concentrate on accidently overdosing when using just two of the highly addictive substances that are readily available on the street.

Heroin:

‘Smack’ is a very common opiate to overdose on, and while it is far more common for long term users, or those who have recently relapsed to overdose rather than those new to ‘the shooting gallery game’, it is important to understand that new users are not immune to an overdose.

There are a number of reasons why users unintentionally suffer from an overdose. Things such as the adulterants the drug is mixed with are a rare, but possible factor, the purity and strength of the drug is another, and one to be very aware of is for those addicts who have been ‘clean’ for a period of time but relapse.

The reason that this group of users are so at risk is because when they get back on their ‘Horse’, they often take similar amounts to that used before they temporarily quit. Such a large hit after a period of abstinence is simply too much for their body to handle.

Falling asleep can be fatal:

It must be said that those who overdose have a very good chance of surviving if urgent medical attention is given, but strange as it may seem, many who die do so because their body forgets to continue breathing if they fall asleep while heavily under the influence of heroin.

When a person not under the influence of drugs falls asleep their body naturally continues to breathe while sleeping, but if too much heroin is injected and the user falls asleep there is a good chance that their respiratory drive can shut down.

Those who overdose on heroin will also lower blood pressure to dangerous levels and cause major heart problems. The ultimate of which is heart failure.

Cocaine:

While the most common form of use is to snort powder cocaine, many heavy users will inject it or turn to crack cocaine for increased highs.

Continued cocaine abuse offers some seriously powerful stimulant effects, and if a person continues with high doses this can lethally overstimulate the body and brain.

Increased heart rate and higher body temperatures are normal effects of cocaine use, but these effects are increased even further when a user is taking so much of the drug that they are unknowingly heading for an overdose.

Such excessive use will lead to organ failure, severe brain damage, strokes, seizures and fatal heart attacks.

If emergency medical assistance is sought treatment will be similar to that given to those who have been poisoned, but if treatment is neglected there is a chance that the body and/or brain will simply shut down.

Surviving an overdose can still lead to long term problems:

Those who do survive an overdose can be fortunate and recover without long term effects, however many can be left with serious long term issues. Kidney or liver failure is a possibility as are major cardiovascular problems.

This can mean prolonged treatment such as kidney dialysis, or the need for major organ transplants are necessary.

Face up to your addiction before it is too late:

Once you are hooked on a drug the thought of being without it is very, very scary, but considering just some of the many horrific possibilities of an overdose is surely far more frightening.

It will not be easy to kick your drug habit, and the chances of doing it alone are very slim. If you know deep down that your drug use is way out of hand it is vital you seek professional rehabilitation assistance.

There should be no embarrassment or shame in seeking such help, indeed you should be applauded for taking this brave step. Failure to do so could lead to serious long term physical and mental problems, or an ultimate, untimely solution that must be avoided; death.

Stories of how prolonged, constant and excessive drinking tell a very sad tale are commonplace. Alcoholism is rife throughout countries where governments allow alcohol to be purchased and consumed from a wide variety of licensed outlets.

A major reason behind dependence upon alcohol is that many do not initially realise just how highly addictive alcohol is. Before they know it regular, heavy drinking sessions have become an essential part of their daily life.

Don’t let alcohol consumption overtake you:

Even if you are not so far advanced that it is causing dependency, many are drinking too much for their own good on a far too regular basis.

It therefore stands to reason that if you are fond of a drink it pays to keep an eye on the amount of alcohol you are consuming. Failure to do so will lead you down the path of dependence upon alcohol and the many unwanted health and social problems this can bring.

Drinking too much – Signs to be wary of:

Here are 5 signs that it is wise to keep a regular check on:

Daily consumption:

While many drink on a daily basis this is really not recommended. Those who are doing so should make a big effort to cease daily drinking. If such a situation relates to you then make a big effort to reduce this by having a drink every other day, or better still every 3 days or longer.

It is also important to remember that if you do this, you should not try to drink the same quantity on ‘drinking days’ as you would have consumed in total on a daily basis.

Sensible limits:

It is unwise to drink to excess when you do have a drink. You should limit the amount you consume so that it leaves you feeling relaxed and in an amiable mood. Overdoing it will seem like a sensible thing to do at the time, but we all know this is not the case.

When you get into a session with regular drinking partners the alcohol will flow freely. Once you begin to feel the effects it is often the case that a ‘devil may care’ attitude takes over and the amount of drinks you consume will certainly not be totted up.

Too many of these heavy drinking sessions are not good for your health and are putting you on the road to dependence upon alcohol.

Mixing drinks:

Many will start on beer and then move to spirits, others may have a couple of glasses of wine and then turn to their tipple of choice. Mixing drinks is not a great idea.

While it is not necessarily the case that the alcohol content of mixing drinks will be any greater than if you stick to the same drink, there is a possibility it could be.

One example of where the alcohol content you are taking on board by mixing drinks rather than sticking to your tipple of choice is if you move on to cocktails.

By doing so there is a strong likelihood that the overall alcohol content will be higher because cocktails contain a number of different strength spirits.

Drinking at different times of the day:

Those who are prone to having a couple of drinks at lunchtime, then have a break before continuing alcohol consumption in the evening need to be mindful of the amount they are drinking.

This is because they will often not take into account the sum total of drinks consumed on a daily basis and are therefore not really aware of the exact amount of alcohol being consumed.

Hangover ‘cure’:

Regular, heavy drinking sessions can leave you feeling very shabby the next morning. Tiredness due to uneasy and often interrupted sleep go hand in hand with a general lethargy once you are up and about.

Some will begin to ‘solve’ this problem by having an early drink or two to put themselves ‘right’. This is not a wise move, and if it becomes a regular occurrence alcohol dependence will be your next port of call.

Keep it safe, keep it simple:

Millions of men and women the world over enjoy a drink. It helps relax and adds extra enjoyment to social gatherings, but moderation must be the byword.

It is extremely easy to allow the occasional drink to turn into something more regular and then find constant drinking is becoming your main companion.

If this happens you will find relationship problems escalating out of control, which in many cases make you turn to the bottle on an even more regular basis. Other things that need to be taken into consideration are financial hardship, health problems which can ruin a body, and an increased feeling of isolation.

Whether you know your drinking is a problem, you have the slightest inkling that drink is becoming more and more important as part of your daily routine, or you have tried to stop drinking but failed, it is extremely important to understand there is no shame whatsoever in seeking professional help.

The sooner you do this the easier it will be to understand why you are drinking, what the potential causes are, and learn some highly effective ways to either cut back drastically or leave alcohol alone altogether.