Methamphetamine

Energy: it's a hot commodity these days. Especially in our late night dance culture, it is highly valued and essential to our ways of life. We are drawn to sources of energy both internal and external. Seeking energy through external means, is a timeless aspect of human behaviour that extends throughout history and across almost every culture. We are not the first and we will not be the last culture to use stimulants.
Crystal Meth
(aka. crystal, ice, crank, speed, ice (insert your favourite term here) is a crystalized methamphetamine that, like cocaine, is a psychostimulant. Amphetamines and methamphetamines increase the amount of at least three neurotransmitters (brain chemicals): norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. As a result, methamphetamine can elevate your mood, induce euphoria, increase alertness, reduce fatigue, increase energy, decrease appetite, increase movement and speech, and provide a sense of personal power and prowess. This is the high where you really feel at the center of the party. Unlike the brief coke high, meth lasts for 6-8 hours or more depending on how much you do.
Crystal, like any speedy drug, acts like adrenaline in the body, affecting the brain, heart, lungs and other organs. Your body reacts with a 'fight or flight' response, which is the survival instinct that causes most of your energy to go toward breathing and heart rate because those are the most crucial to survival.

Other speedy
substances include:

Ice/glass
- dextromethamphetamine, a slightly different chemical than meth that is in
a smokable freebase form and produces a much stronger high. Like crack cocaine,
it comes in larger crystals or rocks. It's effects are as intense as crack but
lasts much longer (oh yea and its highly addictive)

Base - larger
crystals are sometimes available and used mainly for cooking up and injecting.
And then there's base: an off-white/brown/pink gritty paste (usually much purer
than the powder because the texture makes it too difficult to mix with anything
else)

History
Amphetamines were synthesized by the German pharmacologist L. Edeleano in 1887.
The related compound methamphetamine (crystal)was synthesized in 1919. Amphetamines,
including methamphetamines, are currently the most widely used synthetic drug
in the U.S. In 1927, British chemist Gordon Alles discovered the stimulating
effects of these drugs and realized their potential for increasing alertness,
alleviating fatigue, and creating euphoria (the result of their ability to mimic
adrenaline and its well-known 'fight or flight' property. In 1932, a U.S. pharmaceutical
company bought the patent to the Alles discovery, and marketed it in an inhaler
as a nasal decongestant, Benzedrine.

During the second
world war, amphetamines were sanctioned by a number of governments including
Germany, the United States, and Japan for their energizing and anti-depressant
properties. It is estimated that millions of Japanese soldiers, defense workers
and civilians used amphetamines and that by the end of the war, at least 2%
of the adult population were dependent on the drug.

In the U.S., post-war
studies of American military prisoners revealed that a notable number of American
military prisoners reported using amphetamine inhalers. In 1959, the first use
in the U.S. of intravenous injection of the contents of a Benzedrine inhaler
for non-medicinal purposes was reported; in 1971, the last non-prescription
inhaler was removed from the U.S. market pursuant to the passage of the Controlled
Substances Act of 1970. In North America there have been three distinct waves
of meth use: in the 1980's, the late 1960's and the mid 1990's (continuing through
to today).

Short term effects
appear soon after you take it and disappear within a few hours or days

At low (moderate
or therapeutic doses): such as the doses prescribed medically for attention
disorders and narcolepsy (spontaneous sleep attacks). After a cap or a fat line
you may feel:

• Effects last
  roughly 3-4 hours
• Decrease in
  appetite
• Rapid breathing
  and heart rate, but usually longer, deeper breathing
• Higher blood
  pressure, pulse rate and blood sugar (if you're diabetic, take extra precautions)
  
• Dilated pupils
  
• Slight dilation
  of some blood vessels and constriction of others

At larger recreational
doses: after a couple caps of crystal, you may get pretty worked up about
things. Or just dance your ass off. It can be more of a head trip too, as opposed
to the body buzz of smaller doses. Experiences range from feelings of well-being
to a sense of power and superiority, to bizarre repetitive behaviour, including:

• Large increase
  in alertness and energy
• Fever
• Talkativeness,
  restlessness and excitability
• Sweating
• Headache
• Blurred vision
  
• Dizziness

Along with the
speeding up of physical functions, crystal increases alertness and stimulates
the nervous system. This means that you may feel an amplified sensory awareness
of your environment. Sounds may be crisper, vision stronger and response time
quicker. In other words, you may be anywhere from on the ball to over and above
it! If you're doing larger doses (which also varies depending on your body and
tolerance), expect to experience some of the effects mentioned above.

At even higher
doses (more than a couple caps) many of the effects are amplified however
you may not feel the sense of power or well-being or alertness that you felt
with a smaller dose. Things are usually pretty intense by now and it can be
overwhelming in the form of restlessness, anxiety or fear. All of a sudden you
may not be so talkative anymore (on the other hand you may get all motormouth
on whoever happens to be in the general area!) cause the nervous system has
been way overstimulated and you're trying to take everything in and make sense
of it all. The experience may include:

• Flushed skin
  (turning a reddish tint)
• Pallor
• Serious insomnia
  
• Rapid or irregular
  heartbeat
• Tremors
• Loss of coordination
  
• Collapse
• Aggression/hostility
  
• Hyperactivity
  

Higher and higher
still after a few days of using crystal, the undesired, unexpected (depending
on how seasoned a user you are) and unpleasant symptoms get stronger (especially
if you're increasing the dose as you go along). In other words speed parties/binges
usually end up something like this:

• Confused and
  disorganized patterns of thought and behaviour
• Compulsive repetition
  of meaningless acts (at least that's how it looks to others around you!)
• Self-conscious,
  suspicious, afraid, and having hallucinations or delusions (see crystal psychosis)
  
• Anti-social
  or aggressive behaviour
• Chest pains
  (the heart's been working overtime), abdominal pains (chances are you haven't
  taken a pee in a while cause speed can cause you to pee less)
• Fainting or
  dizziness, overheating and dehydration
• Extreme tiredness
  

  Methods
  of Consumption
  Injecting/shooting
  This is the quickest way to get a drug into your system. The high is intense
  and short, so be prepared. Have lots of new rigs and works close by so you
  can use a new needle every time you inject. Don't share needles. Visit your
  local needle exchange, they can hook you up with supplies and show you what
  safer injection is all about. If you don't know where to go for clean works,
  rigs and info, contact us (our info is on the back page).

  Smoking
  will get you high immediately cause the drug gets absorbed through the sensitive
  lung tissue and carried into the bloodstream. It produces an intense buzz
  that is similar to a crack high. Its really harsh on your lungs and you
  may get a nasty cough and a hoarse voice if you're smoking crystal regularly.
  Try to avoid smoking off of pop cans cause the aluminum is very toxic when
  heated up.

  Snorting/railing
  will get you high within about 5-15 minutes and the high is short and intense.
  Your nostrils might burn (a splash of water up the nose after snorting can
  help) and your eyes might water. A few minutes after snorting you might
  get 'the drips': that dreaded chemical flavour in the back of your throat
  is remnants of the meth that didn't make the journey up your nose and instead
  dripped down into your mouth. It can make you shiver�have some water close
  by!

  Rectal (up
  your butt) or vaginal (up your vag) get you high in about 20-30 minutes
  because it doesn't have to go through your digestive system but gets absorbed
  through the tissues of your colon (its just above your anus)

  Oral/Eating
  (like swallowing a pill or cap) will get you high in about 20-45 minutes
  because it has to travel through the digestive system, like food. Some gets
  absorbed into the bloodstream along the way and some gets filtered out through
  the liver and kidneys. Eating a drug allows time for the body to absorb
  the drug and slowly bring on the high. The comedown is also more gradual
  than the quicker ways of getting high. Some people get gut rot (a sharp
  stomach ache) from eating crystal and it is always wise to have a bit of
  food in your stomach before swallowing pills (a light meal an hour or two
  before dosing is always a good idea).

  Unintended,
  Unwanted and Lingering Effects
  Longer lasting effects are the effects that appear after repeated use over
  a long period of time, many of which are amplified versions of the shorter
  term effects. Each of us is different and our use patterns are different,
  so there's no predicting how long or harsh some of the lasting effects may
  go on for you. Some users feel that a decrease in their mental abilities
  over time is a result of doing a lot of the drug or using it over long periods
  of time. Some things that are longer lasting may not necessarily be permanent
  however this depends on the extent of your use.

      Most
  of the longer lasting things can be nasty, including:

  • Weight loss
    
  • Non-healing
    ulcers and sores
  • Brittle
    fingernails
  • Tooth grinding
    
  • Chronic
    chest infections (that cough that just wont go away)
  • Liver disease
    (over long term, your liver is working overtime filtering all of the amphetamine)
    
  • Hypertensive
    disorders (define)
  • Depression
    

  Ever heard
  of amphetamine psychosis? Ever experienced it? If you have, there's
  no doubt about it. Whether you call it psychosis, freaking out or coming
  down for a week after a binge, it is usually an unpleasant trip. It is a
  mental disturbance similar to paranoid schizophrenia, with the experience
  being an exaggeration of the short term effects of really high doses which
  can range from extreme fear (although not sure exactly what you're afraid
  of) to aggression and/or suspicion (usually that everyone is out to get
  you, that people -even friends- have ulterior motives or that other people
  are following you for whatever reason). Basically it can happen when you
  go overboard with the meth and lose your mind for a bit. These types of
  head trips can be pretty destructive and usually include some of the following
  things:

  • Sudden,
    violent, irrational behaviour
  • Self-centered
    
  • Distorted
    perceptions
  • Delusions
    or threat of persecution
  • Paranoia
    

  This is an
  all around rough situation but the good news is that for most people these
  symptoms go away within a few days or weeks after you stop using (oh yea
  and chances are you need a serious dose of sleep to go with that!).

  Craaavings!
  Psychologically (in your mind) you may jones for meth. You might feel you
  can't live without it. The truth is that some people who have been using
  heavily for periods of time often crave it for years (even after stopping
  use). It may be quite some time before your body adjusts to life without
  the stimulation of crystal.

  Using crystal
  can be fatal. People have died from amphetamine overdoses. Crystal meth
  can cause ruptured blood vessels in the brain (when snorted), cardiac (heart)
  failure, hyperthermia (extremely high fever), seizures and/or coma. Knowing
  your limits and listening to your body are important steps in preventing
  both fatal and non-fatal overdoses.

  Overdose
  An overdose (OD) is what happens when you take more drugs than your body
  can handle.

  When someone
  is ODing on uppers (like e, speed, crystal, coke), they may look red in
  the face, be hot to touch, they might complain of chest pain, tightness
  or shortness of breath, they might seizure or suddenly collapse and become
  unconscious.

  Sometimes people
  who OD from doing more than one type of drug will show strange signs that
  may be a combination of symptoms. It's not always as easy to tell as the
  signs listed above. LISTEN TO YOUR INTUITION�if someone looks really
  UNWELL get them some help. If you think they might be overdosing, don't
  wait for them to 'just get over it' or 'sleep it off,' but DO SOMETHING!
  

      Here's
  what you can do:

• call 911 (or
  get someone around to call and report back to you so
  
• you know they
  made the call)
  
• if you are in
  a rave or club, get security because they will be able to clear the crowd,
  contact an ambulance or get the person to onsite medical services, if available.
  

    While
you're waiting for the ambulance to arrive:

• try not to leave
  the person alone (if you absolutely HAVE to go, make sure to leave them in
  recovery position and leave a way for the ambulance crew to get to the person.
  Try to leave a note on the person saying what s/he has taken.
  
• keep the person
  as alert as possible
  
• check to see
  if they can open their eyes and talk to you
  
• squeeze their
  hand
  
• talk to them
  
  
• check the immediate
  surroundings for rigs (needles), spoons, vials, baggies, etc. If you don't
  know what they took this may help you know so you can tell the paramedics
  
  
• don't give more
  drugs to counteract

If the person is
passed out (can't wake them up or can't keep them awake):

• check their
  pulse (on the side of the neck or the inside of the wrist) and breathing -can
  you feel their breath on your hand? Is their chest moving up and down?
  
• Put the person
  in recovery position so they don't choke or throw up (if they're seizuring,
  then just move things out of the way so they don't hurt themselves -don't
  put anything in their mouth!)
  
• If you can't
  get them into recovery position then tilt the body forward so the airway will
  be clear and if they need to puke, it will come out
  
• If you or anyone
  around knows CPR or rescue breathing, now is the time to get to it

The most important
thing in any medical emergency is to keep yourself safe so you can help the
person. If the situation is not safe for you (for whatever reason), then leave
the scene and call 911 immediately and give them all the details you can. Also
remember that when you call 911 the police, ambulance and firefighters may all
come. Remember to stash drugs and works out of site (if you know the person
ODing, you may want to remove any drugs they have on them still). Be polite
and cooperative. Tell them you found this person passed out, for how long and
what drug(s) you think the person has taken. If the cops question you, you only
have to give your name and address.

Quality Issues
A problem with crystal, any other street drugs, is contamination due to the
cut and the manufacturing process. The peeps who concoct speed aren't usually
working in a sterile pharmaceutical plant with a quality control program. Also,
dealers may dilute the drug with other substances. Crystal can be cut with a
lot of other materials (which can be quite damaging to inject) like: talcum
powder, cornstarch, and crushed cold medicine pills (which have pseudoephedrine
in 'em).

Most crystal is
cooked using pseudoephedrine, an ingredient of many cold medicines red phosphorus,
black iodine and toluene (also known as paint thinner). Toluene is toxic and
the by-products of making meth are very toxic chemicals. Again, this all depends
on the level of skill and care in the production of the crystal batch.

The side effects
of ingesting the stuff that crystal is cut with are usually mild (like an itchy,
irritated nose) however it can be serious if you're allergic to a certain product.
You never really know what your drug is cut with so proceed with caution if
using a product from a new source or from a new batch.

Addiction, Dependency
and Habit�Oh My!
Info snagged straight from tweakers.org 'cause we couldn't have said it better
ourselves
It's hard to say when use of anything becomes a habit: especially if the standard
idea of habit is using every day, such as most cigarette smokers do.

There are also
two kinds of habit, the psychological and the physical. Physical dependency
on most drugs is unlikely if the use is once a month or less. The psychological
attraction of a substance, such as crystal meth, may lead you to try it more
often. For most things and for most of us, there's a blend of both types of
habit. Even for something like exercise!

There are two things
you may want to observe to decide if you are developing a habit. The first is
to actually mark your use on a calendar, including how many days it took to
get back to "normal," if you stayed up all weekend, etc. If you see that you
are spending more and more time using or more frequently, you're probably on
your way to habit. The second thing to look for is if you are changing plans,
discarding other goals or changing who you spend time with based upon crystal
meth use. Do you find yourself spending less time with people who don't use?
Are you getting behind in school, work or professional goals? Just a few things
to look for�

On the other hand,
a lot of people use crystal occasionally and do not have a "habit." Often, their
use is restricted to special events, like a vacation, a rave or a three day
weekend. As ever, it's a personal choice and a set of personal realities for
each of us.

Crystal and
Sex
Some people use crystal and other types of speed for sex because it can enhance
sensations and produce extra energy for longer, more intense sex. Drugs that
enhance pleasure combined with being high can lead to an increase in taking
risks with sex, cause sometimes (with or without drugs) we just want to feel
good, now and deal with the results later. We can remind ourselves of the need
for safer sex even if we're high by having condoms and lube nearby or anything
that reminds us to be safe.

Because crystal
gets you high by stimulating brain activity, shooting around neurotransmitters
harder and faster than usual, it can also throw off the processes in the brain
that happen during sex and/or physical arousal.

Sometimes, when
using crystal, guys can have trouble getting an erection and keeping it up because
the brain isn't giving or getting the signals needed to get and stay hard. On
the other hand sometimes guys get a 'crystal dick' that won't go down for hours
and it can be a real task trying to get off and orgasm can be difficult.. Although
using crystal heavily may make you produce less sperm, there is no evidence
that crystal use affects the quality or health of sperm.

Other users (both
women and men) say that crystal doesn't enhance sex for them but that it actually
lowers their sex drive and after using regularly for a while it becomes difficult
to get turned on.

Crystal and
HIV
(taken and edited from tweaker.org)
There's a really wide range of opinions on how crystal affects people living
with HIV or AIDS. Lots of anecdotal discussion of HIV and crystal meth is totally
contradictory, as some claim it kills your immune system off faster since it
is "speed," while others swear it boosted their cell counts. A blended version
of these says that it may boost your immune system up to a point, but that it
also boosts HIV production, so you end up losing the gains over time. The truth
is probably something even more complex. We know that managing HIV infection
requires good nutrition, a higher balance of vitamins, building lean body mass,
exercising and sleeping regularly. Crystal meth use, even only occasionally,
can lead to skipping meals due to loss of appetite, depletion of vitamin, losing
weight and staying awake for days at a time. Using crystal can also cause dehydration
and mood swings when one is high or coming down. It can be a lot of stress on
the body. People living with HIV/AIDS may be vulnerable to strange interactions
between HIV meds and amphetamines, and therefore users on HIV meds may consider
strategizing with their doctor, health care provider, service provider or friends
on ways to avoid negative outcomes.

Crystal and
Women
Women who use have some drug-related concerns that are different from men's.
These tips and ideas were created by and for women users:

Many drugs including
any amphetamines, affect our periods. They may be shorter, longer or
stop altogether. But, we can still get pregnant or catch an STD or HIV. Birth
control can be used to prevent pregnancy and condoms to reduce the chance of
giving or getting sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) like HIV. If you miss
your period for a few months you might want to get it checked out by a doctor
because it could be a sign of more serious fertility issues.

If you are
pregnant, it is especially important to find a doctor or health service
provider who you can be open about your use with and figure out ways to minimize
harm to you and your baby. Using low doses of amphetamines while pregnant does
not cause birth defects, however if you are using recreational amphetamines
like crystal while pregnant, it can have negative consequences for your baby.
Using crystal when pregnant increases the chance that the baby may be underweight
and/or premature. It also has been a factor in miscarriages for women who use
crystal regularly. If you are breastfeeding your baby it is important
to know that amphetamines can be passed through breast milk. The effects of
breastfeeding babies while using crystal meth are not known, so it is safer
to not to use; if you do use it is safer to explore alternatives to breastfeeding.

Because we live
in a society where women are pressured to be thin (more so than men), some women
use crystal for its appetite-suppressing and weight loss qualities. As a result,
it can be hard to stop using crystal when we find its results appealing. Using
crystal to lose weight or be thin is not healthy for our bodies and our minds.
Exercise and movement can make us feel better about or bodies and keep us healthy.
We don't have to be rail thin to be happy, sexy and attractive!

Detox
Again tweaker.org said it best:
The five big uglies of getting off speed are dehydration, malnutrition, exhaustion,
underlying problems and lasting effects on the body and mind. Many, many people
do succeed on their own, despite their discomfort.

Dehydration
is the easiest to remedy! A lot of us are chronically dehydrated, so it may
take more than a few glasses of water to bring balance back into our system.

Malnutrition
is more subtle, but an easy suggestion is PROTEIN. After crystal use, you've
probably used up some supplies throughout the body. Also, several amino acids
available as supplements may be especially helpful. Currently, tyrosine and
phenylalanine are in studies which show some promise (they can be purchased
at health food stores).

The strain of prolonged
use, especially a long "run" may require a great deal of rest. There's
no use fighting it, just make the best of it and take the time it takes to catch
up on sleep. People report being sluggish and disoriented (but this slowly goes
away as time goes on).

Those are the obvious
tips! Many people find out that they have an underlying conditions, such
as depression or Attention Deficit Disorder (formerly known as hyperactivity)
and pursue treatment or counseling for those problems. In rare cases, there
are more unusual underlying conditions for a person, yet only a physician will
be able to make such a diagnosis.

The lasting
side effects are subtle but can contribute to feeling less than human. Each
of us is different and use patterns are different, and our use patterns are
different, so there's no predicting how long or how harsh some of the lasting
effects may go on for you. Psychologically, you may experience cravings for
year. Physiologically, it may be some time before your system rebalances to
life with out the stimulation of crystal.

Testing/Screening
for Meth
At some point in your life, you may be asked (or forced) to take a drug test.
Drugs can be detected in the blood, the urine and the hair. Hair analysis and
blood tests are quite expensive so most places that do drug testing, use urine
tests because they are the cheapest and quickest way to find the presence of
a drugs in a person's system.

You may be required
to take a drug test for work, school, prison, rehab, detox, methadone programs,
social assistance or the courts. The best way to test clean for drugs is not
to do any for a while before the test. Crystal and other amphetamines can
be detected in pee for about 2-4 days and general drug tests do screen for
amphetamines, unlike some other drugs that require a specific test to detect
their presence.

Legal Stuff

One of the biggest harms that can come along with using any illicit (illegal)
drug is getting caught by the authorities (or your parents, no matter what your
age!)

Crystal meth is
a 'Schedule III' drug under the 'Controlled Drugs and Substances Act' (formerly
called the Narcotics Act) which means that the if you are caught with crystal
on you, you are at risk for doing some serious time (depending on the amount
of crystal, your age, your past record, the particular cop, the judge you get
and the lawyer defending you).

The United States
has taken an even more hard-nosed approach toward crystal and its use with the
Methamphetamine Anti-Proliferation Act (MAPA), which is an attempt to
crack down on meth labs as well as users. It allows for harsher penalties and
makes it illegal to even provide info on crystal over the internet (yes, even
if it's health info�unless it's anti-drug!)

Research on
Meth
The researchers say that because crystal tweaks with or neurotransmitters it
may alter our brain chemistry in ways that could be long term or permanent.
Meth appears to have a neurotoxic effect, damaging brain cells that contain
dopamine and serotonin (neurotransmitters). Over time, meth appears to cause
reduced levels of dopamine, which can result in symptoms like those of Parkinson's
disease, a severe movement disorder. Animal research shows that high doses of
meth alter neuron cell-endings. Dopamine and serotonin neurons do not die after
meth use, but their nerve endings ("terminals") are altered and re-growth appears
to be limited. Scientific studies (especially on illegal drugs) are subject
to debate and many of them are not entirely objective as they claim.

Interactions
Mixing drugs is a tricky science that some people like to experiment with.
You can never be sure how the drugs will react together and how they will react
with your body chemistry. If you do mix crystal meth or different amphetamines
with other substances, then there are a few things you should know about mixing:

Crystal + other
uppers (like coke or e) = creates a synnergistic effect, meaning that you
get higher by combining both than you would if you took them separately. This
means all the speediness (and the risks that come along with it) gets amplified.
Some people like to use crystal to prolong their e trip or increase the speediness
of their buzz. Coke has similar effects to meth so there is increased toxicity
and strain on the heart.

Crystal + downer
(like ghb, ketamine and alcohol) = using crystal with depressants (called
that because they depress or slow down your central nervous system) puts the
body and mind in a state where it doesn't know whether to be up or down. Also
because uppers and downers last for different lengths of time, if you've done
more than your body can handle, it may be masked by a downer (or vice versa)
and you could be higher than you bargained for (and increase chance of OD).
Drinking alcohol on crystal is really hard on the liver and kidneys cause both
put a lot of strain on the body's filtering process. So if you do, remember
to drink plenty of water during and after to minimize an extra brutal hangover!

Natural Highs
So far we have discussed chemical (synthetic, made by people in a lab) stimulants
but there are also natural (and legal) stimulants that come from the earth.
Synthetic speed will give you the pep you want to dance the night away but there
is also a whole world of plants and herbs that can provide extra physical and
mental energy. Some of these herbs are included in some energy drinks sold out
at parties.

Ephedra
boosts physical energy, speeds up metabolism and increases body temperature
(remember to drink water!), high doses can be really speedy!

Ginkgo biloba
increases blood flow to the brain to get more nutrients and oxygen, increases
mental alertness, attention span and concentration

Gotu kola
stimulates learning, memory and alertness (but in large doses it's sedating),
increases vitality and can be used in combination with ginseng for that extra
boost

Guarana
has 4 times the caffeine than coffee but has a property in it That counteracts
jitters and other annoying side effects associated with uppers

Royal jelly
enhances metabolism and increases energy, combats stress and eliminates fatigue


Siberian ginseng
is a root used to improve stamina and help body deal with stress and exertion


Spirulina
is a blue-green algae that contains many of the b vitamins missing in most
diets. If used on a regular basis, provides increased energy and vitality

"The
desire to take medicine is perhaps the greatest feature which distinguishes
man from animals".
(Sir William Osler, Science and Immortality 1904)

So�In Conclusion
When it comes right down to it, to use or not to use is your choice only. For
those of us who choose to use crystal, it is extra important that we find out
about the ways that we can stay as healthy as possible while we're using.

Often we have to
keep our use a secret out of fear of negative consequences. Sometimes we believe
the messages and stereotypes about drug users and we may get down on ourselves.
Some of us are comfortable with our use and some want to learn about ways we
can control our use either by cutting down, stopping or using in different ways.

Wherever we are
in your use and in our lives, we have the option to be as healthy as we can.
There are very real harms that can come along with doing crystal or other drugs
but these risks can be reduced if you choose to use in responsible ways. So
get informed BEFORE you get high.

Things to Remember
About Doing Crystal:

• Eat something
  while you're high on speed. Even small meals and snacks are better than nothing.
  Feed your body the fuel it needs
• It may make
  you horny as hell and make sex feel more fantastic. Be careful to stay safe
  while high. Use condoms and plenty of water based lube when fucking on crystal.
  Check the condom every so often to make sure it's still on and has not broken.
  Switch to a new condom for a longer fucking session -- condoms don't last
  forever!
• Take vitamin
  C or apply vitamin E oil to reduce scarring from shooting up
• If you're trying
  it for the first few times, do only small amounts or "bumps." This will help
  lower the chance that you'll crash hard. The less you crash, the better you'll
  feel. You'll also be less likely to want to do more the day after to cure
  the feeling of crashing. That's how people get hooked on speed -- using greater
  amounts at a time and using more frequently to avoid the negative effects
  of crashing.