US warns of 'global meth threat'

US warns of 'global meth threat'


The US authorities have warned that the addictive drug methamphetamine has become a "global threat".

US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) chief Karen Tandy said global users of methamphetamine outnumbered cocaine and heroin users combined.

She was speaking at an international narcotics conference in Canada.

Methamphetamine, or crystal meth, is a stimulant which induces euphoria, but can lead to side effects such as violent behaviour and depression.

Delegates at the 24th International Drug Enforcement Conference in Montreal were told that synthetic drugs such as ecstasy and methamphetamine were becoming a worldwide phenomenon.

"Methamphetamine trafficking and the movement of its precursor chemicals are an increasing global threat," Ms Tandy told the conference.

"More than 26 million people worldwide use amphetamines - largely methamphetamines... ," she added.

Crime link

She cited the example of a laboratory in Indonesia, raided in November, which had exports linked to Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and the US.


Criminal gangs were also exporting the drug from the US to Japan, she said.

The raw ingredients of the drug were being shipped from India and China and smuggled through third countries, she added.

Dr Paul Thompson, a California-based neuroscientist researching the effects of the drug, told the BBC's World Today programme that the spread of the drug could lead to an increase in violent crime.

"We know that many of the people that are arrested in Los Angeles - about 40% of them - have been using methamphetamine," he said.

"We're worried that as this drug is spreading throughout the US and overseas, this could produce a massive increase in violent crime."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4757179.stm

"More than 26 million people worldwide use amphetamines - largely methamphetamines... ," she added.

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I'd like to see where she got this information. and "largely" is a pretty ambiguous term, and i still think way more people use amphetamines than methamphetamines. does this include all the perscriptions going out for amphetamines?

so why the fuck dont they put two and two together and give us a legal stimulant?

i wonder how NZ with its legal BZP is doing in regards to meth abuse...

I've never seen or even HEARD of someone being violent on meth. I'm sure it happens, but come on!

It happens because the drug is illegal, not because meth makes you violent. So don't fucking try to blame it on the drug, even the meth is evil as hell.

"We're worried that as this drug is spreading throughout the US and overseas, this could produce a massive increase in violent crime."

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Well gee, there's no easy solution to that! 8(8(8(8)8)8)

fairnymph said:

I've never seen or even HEARD of someone being violent on meth. I'm sure it happens, but come on!

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Ive known people to be very sketchy and short tempered when up for a while or strung out. Actually had a friend that got ripped off on a good amount of shrooms and ended up getting jumped by the dudes (theyd been up almost 2 weeks and were crashing off meth).

Typical fear mongering.

I too am curious as to whether pharmaceutical amphetamine derivatives were lumped in with the rotten apples in order to inflate the statistics, lack of a proper source doesn't help either.

I can see the point though, I've seen some people become pretty hostile on meth. I avoid those people like the plague, I want nothing to do with that scene (sorry if I offended any Bluelighters).

There is an obvious correlation between drug use and crime, it doesn't have to be meth, but that just seems like the one to demonize given the current climate. I do think meth is extremely dangerous both psychologically and physically, hell I think's it's the most damaging illegal drug available (among the mainstream drugs of choice).


It's obvious that organized crime will take advantage of countries with corruptible police and some what flexible drug laws. The penetration of Meth into mainstream and even suburban life is nothing new. It's use is ubiquitous, any major city has it's share of dealers and users. It isn't some new found substance that's slowly taking over the world (although there are rumours that meth use did fuel one individual bent on world domination).

Quote:
"More than 26 million people worldwide use amphetamines - largely methamphetamines... ," she added.

funks_hybrid said:

I'd like to see where she got this information. and "largely" is a pretty ambiguous term, and i still think way more people use amphetamines than methamphetamines. does this include all the perscriptions going out for amphetamines?

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If that's the case, wouldn't about 3 million of those people be American children on ADD/ADHD medication? LOL

meth is a problem... i've witnessed more problems with speed than any other drug. Its the most common illegal substance in vegas (i'm excluding pot)

Gah the thought of staying awake for 48 hours!

I think i'd rather stick to taking my pseudofed tabs

Meth is a real problem. It will cause problems for ANYONE after abuse. Even doing it once a week for a few years will run you into some problems, physical and mental. And from there it can turn into every day use quite easily.

It's a pansies drug. People who use meth a lot are not their self. They're the drug's effects on their old personality. All the things they don't like about themselves they change while on the drug, but it's always soo based all around that person, and makes them selfish. When the comedown comes and they're out of gear, they're unsociable, don't want anything to do with anyone unless they can help them get money for gear. It's just a selfish drug. Brings out ego that isn't really there. It changes people for sure.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good hit of meth every now and then, but I don't give a shit if I could never use it again, it definately has helped increase violent crimes and theft, and we don't need that crap.

I've never seen or even HEARD of someone being violent on meth. I'm sure it happens, but come on!

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My old weed dealer was a pretty big methhead. I wear a hat with a screw in it for decoration, and one time he was convinced it was a wire, and tore it out of my hat. Another time he put a gun to my head as a joke. People get very violent when they're strung out. This guy was kinda nuts anyways, but he was never violent till he started using meth frequently.

it starts at home!!
maybe it's time for the DEA to stand up and realize they're targeting the wrong drug. i totally agree that meth is a problem, it's all over the news in a big way too, and all kinds of restrictions are being placed on OTC drugs because of it... but the drug war is so focused on making trendy anti-weed commercials that they're neglecting a real issue... and it's going international.

I have not seen people get violent on meth, in my years of heavy meth use I have only seen violence from people who were already violent. I'm sure it makes some people violent, but i've never seen it before. But I can say some people act pretty weird on meth.

I am! Maybe I've just been lucky? I've seen a LOT of weird and very sketchy behaviour, but never violence. I've known alot of users and over a dozen heavy addicts.

Regardless, the issue I believe, as with most instances of drug induced violence, stems from the illegality of the substance. I.e. withdrawing addicts who can't get more drug.

I'm not advocating meth use (I think it is the most evil substance ever), but making it legal WOULD greatly cut down on any violence, and certainly the black market activities, which tend to be violent.

I would like to know whether most of the violence is from individual users or more gang/dealer related.

Yeah, the USA SAYS IT IS A GLOBAL EPIDEMIC because the USA wants to try and get more support for their war on drugs and to try and increase international hatred of them.

All they are doing is trying to suck in other countries. Fuck em. I wonder what a study on methamphetamine by an un-biased country like Iceland would have to say.

The auithor forgot to add:

"The US authorities have warned that the addictive drug methamphetamine has become a "global threat", however, if you're a pilot in the airforce, on the battle field, or have ADD or ADHD, you are not part of the global threat. In fact, airforce pilots are fighting for American freedoms in Iraq and Afghanistan."

So if you're authorized to be a meth addict by the US government, then it's cool, other wise you're a global threat to americans freedoms everywhere!

"We know that many of the people that are arrested in Los Angeles - about 40% of them - have been using methamphetamine," he said.

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Not saying that this is impossible, but I find this highly unlikely, as 40% of all arrested people had been using meth sounds very high.

if u've been up for awhile, tweak can do some pretty crazy things to people and once a person has been up for awhile, people can completely change. i'm not saying those statistics are correct, but i wouldn't doubt violence is a problem when meth is involved

Just to add, I think Ive heard newscasting about every month that had the theme of "US warns of 'global meth threat'".