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Methamphetamine FAQ

What is Methamphetamine?

Methamphetamine is a nervous system stimulant within the amphetamine family. Also known simply as meth, the drug produces a strong feeling of elation which lasts much longer than that of cocaine and is much cheaper to produce, hence being known as “poor man’s cocaine”. Many street names for methamphetamine have been coined, some of the more popular ones being:

• crank
• glass
• poor man’s cocaine
• crystal
• ice
• jib
• amp
• chalk
• hot ice
• tweak
• super ice

What are the dangers of using Methamphetamine?

As seen in the photos above, meth causes dramatic physical changes in the user. A person’s outer beauty soon withers away. If taken at lower doses, a user will feel energetic, alert and self-confident. Because the feeling wears off, the user will take additional doses and typically needs larger doses to achieve the same high. The user will eventually show physical signs of the addiction such as tooth decay, dramatic weight loss, and sores which occur because of intense scratching. The user scratches their skin because of sensations of bugs crawling under the skin. Heavy scratching relieves this feeling and causes sores to appear.

A few common health risks associated with usage of meth are:

• Sleeplessness
• Loss of weight due to loss of appetite
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
• Elevated body temperature
• Paranoia
• Depression
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Increased blood pressure and all the symptoms caused by high blood pressure
• Seizures
• Complications for pregnant women
• Damage to small blood vessels in the brain which can lead to stroke
• Inflammation of the heart lining
• Long lasting psychosis (paranoia / delusions)
• Death caused by extreme overdose
• Extreme tooth decay and damage to the lining of the nose

What are the dangers of Methamphetamine manufacturing?

The production of crystal meth is dangerous to the “cook”, the property, and the property of neighbors. Meth can be “cooked” in a variety of environments to include houses, apartments, mobile homes, automobiles, trailers, motels / hotels, RV’s, and warehouses. These clandestine (secret) labs are extremely dangerous due to the volatile chemicals used in the cooking process. Meth labs frequently explode due to careless manufacturing processes, as well as mishandling and storage of hazardous chemicals as seen in the photos above.

What is Meth contamination?

The manufacturing process for methamphetamine leaves behind some very toxic residues on carpets, walls, ceilings, and contents of homes. For each pound of crystal meth that is produced, 5 to 7 pounds of toxic chemical waste can be left behind. Below are some common chemicals used in the manufacture of methamphetamine:

The largest contaminant left behind from a meth lab is the drug itself, methamphetamine. If not decontaminated a drug lab can leave toxic meth residue that remains toxic for months and even years. The smoking of meth will also create residue in a home that is above the levels considered safe by most states, thus requiring cleanup.

How effective are commonly used cleaning compounds to clean Meth lab residue?

Several different cleaning compounds are being used by remediators to clean meth lab residue today. Simple Green, Clorox Clean Up, and Formula 409 are the most commonly used in the United States.

John W. Martyny, PhD., of National Jewish Medical and Research Center, has conducted tests comparing the effects of these cleaning compounds on meth residue. Below are key results of tests that were conducted on sheetrock contaminated with meth:

Clorox Clean-Up (washing 3 times)  65%

Simple Green (washing 3 times)  80%

Formula 409 (washing 3 times)  95%

Crystal Clean (washing ONCE)  100%

Crystal Clean’s mean percentage reduction of meth residue was 100% after one wash.

Crystal Clean will reduce meth residue by 100% or to near undetectable levels after only one application.

This places the results well below all state regulations. Crystal Clean will give the remediator first time clearancel after one application. See supporting data below:

Formula 409 Cleaner Test Results

Clorox Clean Up Test Results

Crystal Clean Test Results