The institutional affiliation
Methamphetamine is the most devastating drug facing the society today, but only few people know about health problems which can be caused because of using it.
Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that was commonly used in 1960’s for medical purposes in order to cure depression or lose weight. It is a white, bitter-tasted crystalline powder that can be injected, swallowed or smoked. The constant use of methamphetamine can easily cause addiction characterized by constant drug seeking and abuse (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2014). Being structurally similar to amphetamine, it has stronger effects on the central nervous system, namely, cognitive dysfunctions and neurological damage. Even small doses of methamphetamine can lead to the same health effects as those of other stimulant drugs as cocaine or amphetamines. The studies revealed that the daily use of methamphetamine has an impact on the brain functioning by storing dopamine and serotonin there. It causes serious structural and functional changes in those parts of the brain controlling memory and emotions, what explain the emotional and cognitive problems for drug-addicted. Over time methamphetamine starts destroying the dopamine receptors in the brain what damages a human’s ability to feel pleasure (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2014).
In addition to the above mentioned effects, methamphetamine abuse also raises the chances to get one of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis B and C by using the same contaminated drug injection equipment or through unprotected sex. Before trying methamphetamine or any other stimulant drug, it is worth to remember that the effects caused by its use cannot be reversed.
The broad information about the types of drugs can be found on the website www.drugabuse.gov belonging to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA), an organization supporting most of the world’s researches on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction. The website can be found in the ratings of the most useful websites with broad information on that topic and can be easily located through different search engines, for example, Google or Yahoo.
The main purpose of NIDA is to develop science on the causes and consequences of drug abuse and to share this knowledge with the society. The webpage is constantly updated with the latest information on drug researches or general health care related issues by the professional workgroup of the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The contacts are presented on the homepage with a detailed description of e-mails and phone numbers which should be used for each particular issue.
The website authority sets the document with clear rules regulating the functioning of the organization and the usage of the website materials. The articles published on the website are not supported by the author’s credentials or affiliations, as they are open for public use and can be reproduced without a special permission of NIDA. However, it is appreciated to use the citation of the source, namely, the National Institutes of Health or the National Institute of Drug Abuse.
The creators of www.drugabuse.gov managed to adjust the website to the needs of the community, particularly for those who experience some problems with drugs or those who try to help others to handle this addiction. Thus, there are no restrictions to access the publications, unless all private policies are maintained and followed.
References
National Institute of Drug Abuse. (2014). Methamphetamine. Retrieved 29 March 2016 from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
