Why End Meth
- Meth is devastating. Meth has frightening impacts on people and society. It destroys physical and mental health, threatens public safety, deepens disparities, and undermines our communities.
- Meth is difficult. Meth is a particularly challenging problem because it is cheap and highly addictive. There are no easy solutions when it comes to treatment or prevention.
- Meth is getting worse. Despite many efforts over the past three decades, meth use in Hawaii and related harms continue to be a growing problem.
- We have an opportunity. We have a chance to leverage resources and lessons learned in the national fight against opioids and combine it with our collective expertise and leadership to address the meth problem in Hawaii.
This is What Meth Does
Short-term Effects
• Increased blood pressure and body temperature
• Faster breathing
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Loss of appetite, disturbed sleep patterns, or nausea
• Bizarre, erratic, aggressive, irritable, or violent behavior
• Faster breathing
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat
• Loss of appetite, disturbed sleep patterns, or nausea
• Bizarre, erratic, aggressive, irritable, or violent behavior
Long-term Effects
• Meth make you get old fast – premature aging.
• Permanent damage to the heart and brain
• High blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death
• Liver, kidney, and lung damage
• Anxiety, confusion, or insomnia
• Paranoia, hallucinations, mood disturbances, delusions, or violent behavior (psychotic symptoms can sometimes last for months or years after quitting meth)
• Intense itching, causing skin sores from scratching
• Severe dental problems (“meth mouth”)
• Permanent damage to the heart and brain
• High blood pressure leading to heart attacks, strokes, and death
• Liver, kidney, and lung damage
• Anxiety, confusion, or insomnia
• Paranoia, hallucinations, mood disturbances, delusions, or violent behavior (psychotic symptoms can sometimes last for months or years after quitting meth)
• Intense itching, causing skin sores from scratching
• Severe dental problems (“meth mouth”)
