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The Hebrew word מת (Meth), meaning "death."
Methamphetamine (/mɛ¥è©¡mfɛtəmi¢°n/, a.k.a.methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine) is a psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug. The dextrorotatory (S-isomer) dextromethamphetamine can be prescribed to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, though unmethylated amphetamine is more commonly prescribed. Narcolepsy and obesity can also be treated by the aforementioned isomer under the brand name Desoxyn. It is considered a second line of treatment, used when amphetamine and methylphenidate cause the patient too many side effects. It is only recommended for short term use (~6 weeks) in obesity patients because it is thought that the anorectic effects of the drug are short lived and produce tolerance quickly, whereas the effects on CNS stimulation are much less susceptable to tolerance. It is also used illegally for weight loss and to maintain alertness, focus, motivation, and mental clarity for extended periods of time, and for recreational purposes.
Methamphetamine enters the brain and triggers a cascading release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. To a lesser extent methamphetamine acts as a dopaminergic and adrenergic reuptake inhibitor and in high concentrations as a monamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Since it stimulates the mesolimbic reward pathway, causing euphoria and excitement, it is prone to abuse and addiction. Users may become obsessed or perform repetitive tasks such as cleaning, hand-washing, or assembling and disassembling objects. Withdrawal is characterized by excessive sleeping, eating, and depression-like symptoms, often accompanied by anxiety and drug-craving.[2] Users of methamphetamine sometimes take sedatives such as benzodiazepines as a means of easing their "come down".
Common nicknames for methamphetamine include "meth", "ice", "crystal", "tina", "p", and "glass". Methamphetamine is sometimes referred to as "speed", but this term is usually used for regular amphetamine or dextroamphetamine.
Effects
Common immediate effects.:[14]
Euphoria
Increased energy and attentiveness
Diarrhea, nausea
Excessive sweating
Loss of appetite, insomnia, tremor, jaw-clenching (Bruxism)
Agitation, compulsive fascination with repetitive tasks (Punding)
Talkativeness, irritability, panic attacks
Increased libido
Side effects associated with chronic use:
Drug craving
Weight loss
Withdrawal-related depression and anhedonia
Rapid tooth decay ("meth mouth") (often exacerbated by resultant poor dental hygiene)
Amphetamine psychosis
Dopamine receptor downregulation and hypersensitization
Axonic degeneration of the dopamine axon terminals in the striatum, frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and amygdala
Side effects associated with overdose:
Brain damage/ Meningitis (Neurotoxicity)
Formication (sensation of flesh crawling with bugs, with possible associated compulsive picking and infecting sores)
Paranoia, delusions, hallucinations, which may trigger a tension headache
Rhabdomyolysis (Muscle breakdown) which leads to Kidney failure
Death from overdose is usually due to stroke, heart failure, but can also be caused by cardiac arrest (sudden death) or hyperthermia.
Buffenstein et al. (1997) showed through SPECT scanning of methamphetamine abusers in Hawaii that brain deterioration continues for months after abstinence, possibly suggesting another unique and pathological feature of methamphetamine.
for more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine
Alcohol:
Alcohol intoxication affects the brain, causing slurred speech, clumsiness, and delayed reflexes. The condition is called alcohol intoxication or drunkenness, and eventually subsides. Alcohol stimulates insulin production, which speeds up the glucose metabolism and can result in low blood sugar, causing irritability. In excess, the poisoning can be severe, even lethal. A blood-alcohol content of .45% represents the LD50, or the amount which would prove fatal in 50% of test subjects. This is about six times the level of intoxication (0.08%), but vomiting and/or unconsciousness are triggered much sooner in people with a low tolerance, among whom such high levels are rarely reached unless a large amount of alcohol is consumed very quickly.[11] However, chronic heavy drinkers' high tolerance may allow some of them to remain conscious at levels above .4%, despite the serious health dangers.
Chronic effects of alcohol consumption include effects of its metabolism in the liver, its effects on the brain, and effects of addiction (alcoholism). For example, cirrhosis is stereotypically found in heavy drinkers. The consumption of alcohol does not kill brain cells but rather damages dendrites, the branched ends of nerve cells that bring messages into the cell. Alcohol dilates the channels in the cellular structure that regulate the flow of calcium, causing excess calcium to flow into the cells and stimulating increased activity. This does not kill the whole cell, but causes a loss of the end segments, leading to the loss of incoming signals and therefore a change in brain function. Most of this damage is temporary, but the recovery process changes nerve-cell structure permanently.[14] Some forms of cancer have been linked to excessive consumption of alcohol. "3.6% of all cancer cases worldwide are related to alcohol drinking, resulting in 3.5% of all cancer deaths" (see alcohol and cancer for details).[15]
Alcohol is also a potentially addictive substance, with numerous health effects, and potentially lethal effects of withdrawal. Alcoholism has more and more serious effects on health than moderate drinking. Alcoholism is a major concern for public health; like other kinds of addiction, it is also viewed as a form of immorality. Propensity to alcoholism is partially genetic; individuals with such propensity may have a different biochemical response to alcohol. Alcohol addiction can also lead to malnutrition because it can alter digestion and metabolism of most nutrients. Severe thiamine deficiency is common due to deficiency of folate, riboflavin, vitamin B6 and selenium. Muscle cramps, nausea, appetite loss, nerve disorders and depression are some common symptoms. It can also lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures due to vitamin D deficiency (vitamin D helps in calcium absorption).
Cannabis:
Cannabis, also known as marijuana[1] or marihuana, or ganja (from Hindi/Sanskrit: गांजा gānjā, hemp),[2] is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa, or more often, Cannabis sativa subsp. indica. The herbal form of the drug consists of dried mature flowers and subtending leaves of pistillate (female) plants. The resinous form, known as hashish,[3] consists primarily of glandular trichomes collected from the same plant material. The major biologically active chemical compound in cannabis is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), commonly referred to as THC.
Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory,[4] although in the 20th century there was a rise in its use for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. It is estimated that about four percent[5] of the world's adult population use cannabis annually and 0.6 percent daily. Cannabis is the world's most often used illegal drug.[6] The possession, use, or sale of psychoactive cannabis products became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th century. Since then, some countries have intensified the enforcement of cannabis prohibition while others have reduced the priority of enforcement.
This article focuses upon the effects of cannabis on the human body. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug, and its effects on the brain are mediated through cannibinoids, most notably THC. The method of consumption, along with the exact form and variety of the substance consumed, has an impact on the effects of cannabis, which has shown to be absent of negative impacts upon health. In some areas of the world, medical cannabis is prescribed for nausea, pain, and alleviation of symptoms surrounding chronic illness, but its use is controversial.
Acute effects include euphoria, increased appetite, anxiety, short-term memory loss,[1] and circulation effects which may increase risks of heart attacks.[2] The evidence of long-term effects on memory is preliminary and hindered by confounding factors.[3][2] Concerns have been raised about the potential for long-term cannabis consumption to increase risk for schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and major depression,[4][5] but the ultimate conclusions on these factors are disputed.[6]
You see everything is dangerous some more than others... the real problem is the addiction to it...
SOLUTION:
Chocolate
A study reported by the BBC indicated that melting chocolate in one's mouth produced an increase in brain activity and heart rate that was more intense than that associated with passionate kissing, and also lasted four times as long after the activity had ended
but again an addiction can bring to obesity...
LOL
___________________
Now Circusless 
Last edited by Fran666 on Jul-29-2008 at 19:12
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