From the Director
The abuse of methamphetamine -
a potent and highly addictive psychostimulant -
is a very serious problem
in the United States. Initially limited
to Hawaii and western parts of the
country, methamphetamine abuse
continues to spread eastward, with
rural and urban areas everywhere
increasingly affected. According to
one national survey, approximately
10 million people in the United States
have tried methamphetamine at
least once.
Methamphetamine abuse leads to
devastating medical, psychological,
and social consequences. Adverse
health effects include memory loss,
aggression, psychotic behavior, heart
damage, malnutrition, and severe
dental problems. Methamphetamine
abuse also contributes to increased
transmission of infectious diseases,
such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, and
can infuse whole communities with
new waves of crime, unemployment,
child neglect or abuse, and other
social ills.
The good news is that methamphetamine
abuse can be prevented
and methamphetamine addiction
can be treated. People do recover,
but only when effective treatments
that address the multitude of problems
resulting from methamphetamine
abuse are readily available. Primary
goals of the National Institute on
Drug Abuse (NIDA) are to apply
what our scientists learn from
drug abuse research to develop new
and enhance existing treatment
approaches and to bring these effective
treatments to the communities
that need them.
In this report, we provide an overview
of the latest scientific findings
on methamphetamine. Our intent is
to enlighten readers about the damaging
effects of methamphetamine
abuse and to inform prevention and
treatment efforts.
Nora D.Volkow, M.D.
Director
National Institute on Drug Abuse
This report is also available in PDF format, Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction, [PDF format, 1.6 MB]
Also Available in Spanish
All materials appearing in the Research Reports Series are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated.
To obtain printed copies of this report, please call or write the National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information, P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20852, 1-800-729-6686. NIDA Research Report - Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction: NIH Publication No. 06-4210, Printed April 1998, Reprinted January 2002. Revised September 2006. 3032183times since 2/18/02.
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