Australia (Commonwealth Union) – Methamphetamine, with frequently used names like meth, crystal, or ice, starts off with a high feeling but once its use is stopped severe hallucinations can result. The chemical ephedrine was extracted from a shrub known as Ephedra as a Chinese medicine in the late 1800s followed by the early 1900s when phosphorus was used with ephedrine to form methamphetamine.
A campaign against methamphetamine got underway based on a study conducted by the University of South Australia (UniSA), which indicated how the smallest use of the drug can have life-long implications for users. The Don’t Let Meth Take Hold campaign emphasizes the serious and impairing long-term impacts of meth on the brain and body even with minor use with just 5 times in total.
The campaign documents long-lasting effects which other campaigns have not previously done. It is set to educate the public on how an individual’s movement is affected in the months, or even years, after their meth use is terminated. This significant result-based campaign will be distributed across multiple digital platforms with the goal of informing the public on the drug’s devastating effects and reduce use.
It draws on UniSA findings from Associate Professor Gabrielle Todd who has demonstrated the meth connection to long-lasting changes in movement and connected parts of the brain, with an increased likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease. Researchers also saw 47 % of people had no knowledge that meth had any long-term effects on health, in spite the devastating toll it takes.
“Using methamphetamine, even just a few times, can lead to long-lasting effects on the body and it’s important to raise awareness of this in the community,” Associate Professor Todd said. “Parts of the brain that are responsible for movement are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of methamphetamine.”
Meth consumption is a global issue with heavy impacts on users from Afghanistan to the USA.
