Featured Articles

One out of every three teenagers in Georgia does not believe methamphetamine is risky, one in five say it is easy to obtain and that someone has offered it to them, one in three say that the drug helps you lose weight, and one in four say it makes you happy.

Almost 60 percent of Georgia teenagers have never discussed that the methamphetamine use with their parents.

These alarming statistics are from the Georgia Methamphetamine Use and Attitudes Survey of 2,432 teenagers and 314 young adults.

The survey was part of a project aimed at preventing teenagers from trying methamphetamine. The adults in the survey were more likely to believe that methamphetamine is beneficial.

• 32 percent of the adults believe methamphetamine helps you lose weight
• 23 percent of young adults believe it makes you happy
• 19 percent of young adults believe it helps you deal with boredom.
  

The problem is that methamphetamine is far from safe and extremely addictive. It changes the chemistry of the brain, causing intense cycles of high and low energy and mood changes, and causing the brain to release dopamine at four times the levels that cocaine does.

"Methamphetamine is a lot more powerful than cocaine and the effect lasts longer, " said Neil Kaltenecker, spokesperson for the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse. "Not to mention that the caustic materials used to make the drugs are toxic."

Labels: research, meth

Posted By: Aspen/CRC