VITAL FACTS FOR PARENTS

Are you concerned about your son’s or daughter's use of drugs? Could they possibly be using the devastating drug, METHAMPHETAMINE, also known as Crank, Meth, Speed, Ice, Crystal, or Glass?

The following are physical symptoms you can watch for:

~ stimulated, jerky movement; rapid speech; hyperactivity
~ behaviors that indicate feelings of intense excitement or euphoria
~ lack of sleep, insomnia, often followed by make-up sleep for up to 24 hours
~ increased energy
~ dilated pupils even when exposed to light
~ mood swings, irritability, nervousness
~ increased blood pressure and heart rate
~ unusual sweating, dry mouth, or hot flashes
~ chest pain or heart palpitations

Methamphetamine can be taken orally, smoked, snorted or injected. Look for drug paraphernalia such as spoons (often bent unto a U-shape); syringes; straws cut into short sections; small metal, clay or glass smoking pipes; cigarette lighters (often lots of them); small plastic baggies.

Methamphetamine will be in a powder or crystalline form and can be  white, pink or beige, depending on the manufacturing process, purity and the ingredients with which the drug is cut or blended.

Long term use can result in the following symptoms:

~ mental confusion
~ deteriorating school grades
~ aggressive or assaultive behavior
~ dramatic weight loss
~ diarrhea
~ vomiting
~ hallucinations or paranoia
~ tremors, shaking, or convulsions
~ hypertension
~ cardiac arrhythmia
~ dental decay
~ open skin sores ("crank bugs")

What to do about it: If you feel your son or daughter may be using methamphetamine, or any drug for that matter, confront them and ask! Their welfare is at stake and you must do something before its too late. A drug test (urine being the best) could be ordered by your family doctor, and it might clear up any suspicions. However, note that Meth stays in the system and is, therefore, detectable only for approximately 72 hours.

Drug testing labs: Two local labs which perform drug tests are:

Stat Substance Abuse Testing                                                                           North State Drug Testing Lab
987 Mission De Oro Drive                                                                                           2301 Park Marina Drive
Redding, CA                                                                                                                                     Redding, CA
222-1294                                                                                                                                                243-8921

For further information call the Shasta County Chemical people at 241-5958 or contact Susan Hacking, Ph.D. at the Shasta County Alcohol and Drug Programs, phone 225-5240, 2770 Pioneer Drive, Redding, CA 96001.

Shasta County Methamphetamine Task Force

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