AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Avary Justice Kolasinski for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Mathematics presented on May 28, 2013. The Historical and Current Perspectives of the Methamphetamine Abuse Phenomena in the United States. Abstract approved: Ray Tricker Methamphetamine has flooded the media for the past two decades however, this drug has impacted the nation for many decades prior. Since its synthesis in 1893, methamphetamine has appealed to various aspects of society including soldiers, housewives, college students, businessmen, truck drivers, drugged crazed hippies, and athletes. The extensive effects, easy production methods, and low-cost has caused methamphetamine to maintain an influence in the US for almost a century. However, the reality of methamphetamine use is unknown to the majority of today’s society. The media has profiled users, exaggerated use, and amplified the effects through prevention programs such as the Oregonian’s Faces of Meth and the Montana Meth Project. This has caused a current, ignorant perspective of methamphetamine use. The actuality of the matter is that methamphetamine remains to be one of the least used drugs in America but is being defined by the socially stigmatized term “epidemic”. The false portrayal of methamphetamine by the media is in hopes to prevent further use. Nevertheless, is it moral for the media to exaggerate drug use for the good of society? Methamphetamine is not a drug to be reckoned with but, it is also not the sloughing beast that has been displayed in the media. Key Words: methamphetamine, drug, society, media, history Corresponding e-mail address: [email protected] ©Copyright by Avary Justice Kolasinski May 28,2013 All Rights Reserved The Historical and Current Perspectives of the Methamphetamine Abuse Phenomena in the United States by Avary Justice Kolasinski A PROJECT submitted to Oregon State University University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Mathematics (Honors Scholar) Presented May 28, 2013 Commencement June 2014 Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Mathematics project of Avary Justice Kolasinski presented on May 28, 2013. APPROVED: Mentor, representing Public Health and Human Science Committee Member, representing University Honors College Committee Member, representing OSU Libraries Dean, University Honors College I understand that my project will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University, University Honors College. My signature below authorizes release of my project to any reader upon request. Avary Justice Kolasinski, Author TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 REVIEW OF LITERATURE .......................................................................................... 3 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................. 3 Description of Methamphetamine ............................................................................... 3 Methamphetamine in the Brain ................................................................................... 5 Effects of Methamphetamine ....................................................................................... 7 Methamphetamine Binge .......................................................................................... 15 Production of Methamphetamine .............................................................................. 16 Routes of Administration........................................................................................... 26 Tolerance .................................................................................................................. 31 Addiction ................................................................................................................... 32 Withdrawal ................................................................................................................ 34 Treatment .................................................................................................................. 35 Overdose ................................................................................................................... 37 Summary of Background of Methamphetamine ........................................................ 38 HISTORY OF METHAMPHETAMINE IN THE US ................................................................ 39 Early Development of Methamphetamine (1880-1939) ............................................ 39 Methamphetamine Use during World War II (1940-1949) ...................................... 43 Post-World War II Methamphetamine Problems (1950-1959) ................................ 47 The Largest Drug Culture in History (1960-1969)................................................... 50 The After Effect of the Sixties (1970-1987) ............................................................... 60 Further Restrictions that Altered Methamphetamine Production (1988-1995) ....... 64 Development of the Meth Market (1995-2005) ......................................................... 70 Summary of the History of Methamphetamine in the US .......................................... 72 TRENDS IN THE PREVALENCE OF METH USE .................................................................. 74 The Historical Increase of Methamphetamine Use .................................................. 74 Current Use of Methamphetamine ............................................................................ 77 Methamphetamine Users Not Portrayed by the Media ............................................. 88 Racial Characteristics of Methamphetamine Users ................................................. 92 Gender of Methamphetamine Users ......................................................................... 93 Age Range of Methamphetamine Users .................................................................... 97 Characteristics of the Meth Market .......................................................................... 99 Summary of the Trends in the Prevalence of Meth Use .......................................... 103 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS MADE TO CONTROL METH USE ............................................... 104 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 .................................................................. 104 Drug Abuse Control Amendment of 1965 ............................................................... 108 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 ......................... 111 Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 .................................................................................. 115 Comprehensive Methamphetamine Control Act 1996 ............................................ 119 Summary of the Legislative Efforts Made to Control Meth Use ............................. 121 MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF METHAMPHETAMINE .............................................................. 122 Characteristics that Define an Epidemic ................................................................ 122 Media Coverage of Current Drug Use in America ................................................. 126 Analyzing the Data of Methamphetamine Use ........................................................ 129 Data Myths in the Media Surrounding Methamphetamine ..................................... 132 Media’s Literary Description of Methamphetamine ............................................... 135 The Media’s Visual Portrayal of Methamphetamine Users ................................... 139 Summary of the Media Portrayal of Methamphetamine ......................................... 148 SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW OF LITERATURE ................................................................. 150 ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH QUESTIONS .............................................................. 154 INITIAL FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE IN THE US .................................................................................................................... 154 FACTORS THAT PROMOTED THE CONTINUED GROWTH OF METHAMPHETAMINE USE IN THE US ........................................................................................................................ 159 SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY IN THE US THAT HAVE BECOME INVOLVED WITH METHAMPHETAMINE AND WHY ................................................................................... 164 EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THE METHAMPHETAMINE PROBLEM IN THE US .................................................................................................................... 168 EPIDEMIC STATUS OF THE METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE PHENOMENON IN THE US ...... 174 TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 178 THE IGNORANT PERSPECTIVE OF THE METHAMPHETAMINE ABUSE PHENOMENA IN THE US ............................................................................................................................... 178 Further Questions ................................................................................................... 183 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 184 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. METHAMPHETAMINE ENANTIOMERS ...........................................................................