October 17.2003-
Basic
meth
BY SGT Elec
ethamphetamine—also known as meth, energy level that is further affected by the
ij crystal, Tina, ice, crank or speed— is the flotxl of adrenaline the drug releases.
“Meth’s an 18-hour high compared to
Hay community’s hottest, most trendy
drug du jour. Meth comes in a white powdered cocaine’s 60 to 90 minutes,” says Schober.
form, in a crystalline, chunky form and in pill
“Meth is cocaine with legs," adds Val Law-
form. It can he smoked or injected, swallowed, son, a counselor with ASAP Treatment Service.
snorted or taken up the butt. Vein injection “It’s a poor man’s high."
and smoking are the quickest—some say
ay, hi and other men who have sex with
strongest—high.
men (MSM, as health service workers
“In the last three or four years,” reports
Sgt. Eric Schober ot Portland Police Bureau’s
refer to us) are attracted to meth for
l\u g s and Vice Division, “we’ve seen smok many reasons, the biggest of which is sex. For
ing meth taking off around here. And we’ve many meth users, the drug prolongs sexual
seen ice coming into Portland recently as stamina to Herculean levels, helps break
well. If you look at ice closely, it hxiks like down sexual barriers, prolongs erections and
intensifies orgasms.
long shards. It’s pure crystal meth.”
“My sex life is amazing,” Wade crows. “I’m
Meth is a synthetic chemical related to its
parent drug, amphetamine. Its primary ingre getting laid a lot, and I get to live out my fan
tasies. When 1 use, it’s all
dient, ephedrine or pseu-
doephedrine, is a com
about getting laid. I lower
my standards. I get on
mon ingredient found in
“I did it because I was
over-the-counter cold
chat lines and beg for
curious And my Mends, things I don’t like to
medications. That ingre
dient is altered chemical
admit to. 1 search for
whom I trusted, were
ly by “cixiking" it with
orgies and the sexual
doing it I snorted it
such nasties as pure
extreme. I get into toys
and pom. It’s a side of me
ammonia, red phospho
It
makes
you
teel
realty
that only comes out
rous, battery acid, drain
when
I’m high.”
cleaners and lye. M eth’s
wired It made me very
But meth doesn’t
made with some of the
edgy and anxious—el
most toxic, combustible
always help sex. A condi
materials around. Just
tion known as “crystal
which I am neither,
cooking the stuff, let
dick" renders some users
when sober. ''
alone putting it in your
unable to get hard while
kxJy, is an environmen
others can stay hard but
-Neil are unable to climax.
tal nightmare.
Many MSM and les
Old-style meth was
cooked with an easy-to-obtain amino acid bians also use meth to stay awake all night danc
named pheylalanine or one of its chemical ing or partying. In Portland, meth use at circuit
cousins. The cooking prcxress smelled like car parties, dances and clubs is common. Some use
pee. “This old-style meth is making a big meth to overcome shyness, to help with feelings
comeback in Portland,” claims Schober. ‘kWe of depression and boredom, to fight HIV- or
think it might be because the old ctxiks are AIDS-related fatigue or to self-medicate atten
being released from jail and they are cooking tion deficit/hyperactivity disorders. Some MSM
it the way they know how. Users like this and lesbians use meth to go on housecleaning
kind of crank because it’s not as harsh as, say, binges or to lose weight.
the red phosphorous stuff.”
“There’s always been meth in Portland’s
Meth works by breaking through the gay community,” says Lawson. “The drug of
brain-blood barrier, a soft fatty layer of pro choice comes and gcx?s in waves. Right now
tection around your brain, and by encourag it’s definitely meth. At parties in Portland, it’s
like cocaine used to be. Meth is laid out like
ing the release of our natural neurotransmit-
ters—dopamine, serotonin and norepineph an hors d’oeuvre."
Lawson is the counselor who created and
rine—as well as the release of our danger-
reactor, adrenaline. The neurotransmitters leads ASAP Treatment Service’s Triangle Proj
send signals to the brain, creating an ect, Oregon’s only comprehensive treatment
immensely pleasurable rush that can last 12 program specifically designed for the sexual
to 20 hours. Meth also sends mixed signals to minorities community.
the brain causing the user to stay awake for
"Most gay men are attracted to meth because
hours or even days. It tells the body to go full- of sex,” Lawson says. “I think a lot of lesbian
gear, which is known among users as “tweak
ing,” a state of enormous excitement and
Continued on Page 28
What meth is: an illegal synthetic
stimulant that works directly on the
central nervous system
What meth looks like: clear or white
powder or crystals; odorless; ingredients
can alter to a brown or tea color or add
black specks; also a small, brightly colored
pill called Yaba
What meth’s made of: primarily
ephedrine or pseudoephedrinc (found in
most common, over-the-counter asthma or
cold medications); red phosphorous, ammonia
or the amino acid phenylalanine; cut with drain
cleaners, battery acid, lye, lantern fuel or
antifreeze
What meth does: an initial, orgasmically
pleasurable rush followed by a euphoric high;
lasts from 12 to 20 hours; feelings of sexual
potency, intense concentration, high physical
activity, extreme wakefulness and chattiness
How meth does it: breaches the blood-brain
barrier, releasing stores of adrenaline; changes
the output of brain neurotransmitters, including
dopamine (reward and pleasure activator), sero
tonin (sleep and sensory perception activator)
and norepinephrine (alertness and concentra
tion activator)
What meth’s called: meth, crystal, crystal
meth, go, tweak, crank, ice, Tina, T, speed
Who does meth: everyone—West Hills
wealthy, eastside middle-class executives, North
Portland blue-collar workers and downtown
street youth alike; men who sleep with men
(MSM), lesbiaas, queer street youth, many to
keep awake or to get through sex work
How’s meth’s taken: injected,
smoked, snorted, eaten and taken up the butt;
high varies for each method; snorting and injec
tion preferred among Portland MSM meth users
How meth’s procured: purchased on the street
or out of dealers’ houses; Portland users find it eas
ily at parties, clubs, bathhouses and bare
How much meth costs: In Portland, 1/16
ounce, a “teener" of meth (six to eight "bumps"
or hits) costs $60 to $100 depending on source
and purity
Where meth comes from: meth labs in rural
areas of Oregon, California, Southwest Wash
ington, Mexico or the American Stxjthwest
How meth harms: risky sexual behavior
contributes to contracting HIV, syphilis and
other sexually transmitted diseases; affects the
health of teeth and gums, skin, lungs, liver,
kidneys and gastrointestinal tracts; sleep
deprivation, dehydration and malnutrition;
long-term effects include the depletion of
neurotransmitters, damage to nerve centers,
increasing paranoia and anxiety and even
psychosis
How meth kills: deeper and deeper depres
sion sometimes results in suicide; heart attack
and seizures when mixed with other drugs, espe
cially psychiatric medications (such as Prozac,
Zoloft or Paxil) or medications that affect heart
rates, such as Viagra
How to beat meth: treatment and other
recovery methods work; several arc gay-orient
ed, including ASAP Treatment Services’ Trian
gle Project, 503-224-0075; De Paul Treatment
Center, 503-535-1150; Crystal Meth Anon,
crystalmeth_anon@msii.com
Where to get more info on meth:
www.tweaker.org—a hip, up-to-date resource for
harm reduction; www.crystalneon.org—a site
that offers downloadable brochures and useful,
no-bullshit information
n
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