One of the more common forms of methamphetamine is crystal meth, also known as “Blade”, “Crystal Glass”, “Hot Ice”, or “Quartz”.
By Iqra Shamsher (PharmD) and Dr. Barkat A Khan (Ph.D)
Crystal meth is the common name for crystal methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant drug that can be prescribed by a doctor to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other conditions.
However, since this substance is classified as a Schedule II drug due to its high potential for abuse, it is typically prescribed in very low doses and is available only through a prescription that cannot be refilled.
The majority of methamphetamine that is abused across the country and by college students is synthesized in domestic and foreign superlabs. The production of methamphetamine typically involves a number of other hazardous chemicals, including antifreeze, drain cleaner, and battery acid.
One of the more common forms of methamphetamine is crystal meth, also known as “Blade”, “Crystal Glass”, “Hot Ice”, or “Quartz”.
Typically used on club scenes and at rave parties, crystal meth creates a false sense of happiness, increased alertness and focus, high energy levels, and a rush of confidence or assertiveness. Individuals who consume crystal meth or meth often become addicted to the initial rush and high that are induced with repeated use of this illicit drug and will return to the substance for a continuation of the experience.
While a widespread number of people are impacted by methamphetamine addiction, university students who are burdened with the demands of a rigorous schedule might succumb to the appeal of this drug. Additionally, students may use methamphetamine recreationally to induce exhilaration and euphoria, commonly during a rave or in a club.
The accessibility and lower cost of meth in comparison to other drugs also make it appealing and a popular drug of choice among college students. Methamphetamine is commonly ingested by swallowing whole or chewed pills, crushing and snorting the drug nasally, smoking it, or putting it into a solution and injecting it.
The desire to actively concentrate on studies, especially during examinations for longer periods, is a first step on the part of the students towards the use of ‘ice’ or crystal meth, often dubbed a party drug, that later becomes an addiction ruining their health and future as well.
A teacher at a private university in Islamabad said when one student uses crystal meth, he informs other students about it, and then the addiction to this drug spreads from one student to another in the educational institutions.
“The hostel wardens are generally not able to stop the spread of crystal meth among the students because it is provided with fine packaging and labels that hide the real ingredients of the product. The name of the drug is never mentioned on the label, so one can only prove it through a lab test that cannot be immediately done by the wardens,” he said.
He insisted that though there is a lot of speculation about widespread use of ice drugs on campuses, the situation is entirely different because the number of students who use them is still low in colleges and universities.
A student who requested anonymity revealed that crystal meth can be swallowed, snorted, smoked, or injected, and it is also smoked in a glass ice pipe, increasing energy levels and keeping one awake for 24 to 48 hours.
“When I used crystal meth, I could be awake for two days, during which I could concentrate on my studies with a higher energy level,” he said.
When asked about its fatal impacts, he said, “First I was not aware of the side effects of this drug, but later I came to know about them, and then I immediately stopped using it for any kind of purpose.”
He said crystal meth is also a party drug because the participants of the rave parties use it to maintain their energy level for a longer period, adding, “It is a little bit expensive, but the students usually manage to buy it from different parts of the city.
Some students may justify the use of small doses of methamphetamine, falsely believing that they can experience the euphoric effects of the drug without taking risks. However, even taking small amounts of methamphetamine can result in negative consequences, including cardiovascular complications, lapses in judgement, and mood disorders.
Today, ice drugs are very dangerous in the world and have ruined many people’s health in different regions of the world. Among these, America, Japan, Africa, Germany, and Pakistan are very well-known places in the world.
The study was carried out in December 2019 to review ice drug utilisation in Pakistan. The data type was secondary, and a total of 33 articles were downloaded from the Internet, and 20 times I read each article and analysed the situation.
The results indicate that this drug is highly used in different cities of Pakistan, which has ruined many people’s health and disturbed family life. A few cases were recorded, which shows the death trend in many cities of Pakistan due to excessive smoking of this drug.
The majority of doctors claimed that these drugs are used in different ceremonies on a party basis, which increase their energies for dancing, while it has also been reported that students of the university use them for long study hours in exams because they increase the level of the hormone dopamine by up to 1000 times more than normal. Majority reports claimed that in the beginning it gave some pleasure to the abductor but later on created different problems for their health.
They told me that it works as a stimulant and plays a great role in increasing body energy, while also increasing the speed of the hormones in the body. The latter makes the body lazy and painful, and for a long time, they cannot sleep.
The main reasons for this drug’s start are love failure, adaptation to bad company and society, and not good supervision by the parent, but the government’s carelessness is also the main factor in this drug’s spread in the country.
The teacher now a days works hard with students for their marking improvement while unable to focus on their character because good character plays a great role in ice drug control. Richer people are mostly involved in this game because it wants more money for its purchases. So more money and provision for the younger also expedite the smoking of the ice drug in Pakistan.
The majority of drugs are smuggled from Iran, China, and Afghanistan, and the main reason is the improper checking of the boundaries by police personnel. They get the money as corruption and allow them to carry these drugs to Pakistan.
Many programmes were launched in Pakistan for controlling ice drugs, but the police department still did not succeed in their control. The police raided many times on their sellers and consumers places to arrest them while this ice drug smoking is still in full swing in Pakistan. High courts have also directed the government and police departments to strictly enforce control measures.
On the basis of the problems, the study recommends that the government appoint good soldiers on the boundaries from where the ice drugs are smuggled. Those markets should be banned and closed in the country where they supply ice drugs to consumers.
Good-character persons should be selected for the police department and anti-narcotics force in the country. Awareness programmes should be launched in all educational and non-educational institutions in the country.
The teacher should not only focus on the book study but also create a positive change in the student’s behaviour and give a lecture on drug abuse in the class. Parental care and supervision are also required for their children at home as well as at the university level. When parents see ambiguities in their children about ice drugs, a blood test is required.
Testing laboratories should be multiplied in the country on a free basis for ice drug control. At hostel level, a warden check on the student is necessary. Testing laboratories at the university level are required. If someone sees any mishap happening about ice drugs anywhere in the country, then the police department should be informed abruptly for controlling ice drugs.