Ice, crank, meth, crystal, tweak, go fast otherwise known as Crystal Methamphetamine, in the United States is at epidemic levels. 1Meth is not only highly addictive, it is also easily “cooked” into homes across the country. Unlike some drugs derived from natural sources, methamphetamine contains a range of dangerous chemicals. These chemicals can include battery acid, rat poison, and motor oil. Crystal meth is a subcategory of amphetamine. Amphetamines are synthetic amines similar to the body's neurotransmitter norepinephrine and the hormone epinephrine (adrenaline). Amphetamines stimulate the reticular activating system. This activation is transmitted to all parts of the brain. This process causes the user to become excited, alert, and hypersensitive to stimuli, such as sunlight. Like other amphetamines, crystal also causes increased brain activity, decreased appetite, and a general feeling of well-being, which can last for approximately 6 to 8 hours. , Crystal is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the brain, respiratory, circulatory and central nervous systems. The crystal also affects nerve synapses in the pleasure center by increasing dopamine production and blocking its reuptake. Dopamine is responsible for “reward”. This effect causes the user to experience a sometimes severe decrease in excitability and happiness towards things that used to give them pleasure. The receptors become unresponsive and extreme depression occurs. Due to this extreme depression, the user is almost forced to use again for depression relief. The user's tolerance level thus increases. Tolerance refers to the fact that as users continue to use a drug, they often feel the need to increase the "dose"....... middle of article ......ouse Publishing - 1999Altered States : A History of Drug Abuse in America, Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities, c1993, 1 videocassette (57 min.) Drugs and Behavior, Rebecca Schilit and Edith Lisansky Gomberg, page 62, SAGE Publications, Inc. - 1991 Website from Narcotics Anonymous, www.na.orgDrugs: Addiction, National Institute of Justice, CF Productions, Inc. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Justice, 1990? 1 videocassette (29 min.)Altered States: A History of Drug Abuse in America, Princeton, NJ: Films for the Humanities, c1993, 1 videocassette (57 min.)Narcotics Anonymous website, www.na.orgDrugs: Addiction, National Institute of Justice, CF Productions, Inc. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Justice, 1990? 1 videocassette (29 min.)