A new type of methamphetamine is severely impacting meth users in Oregon, California, and elsewhere, putting great strain on hospitals and mental health facilities. The new meth is a synthetic and highly potent form of meth, that appears to induce severe psychosis in those who consume it, many of whom belong to the homeless community. Meth amphetamine recovery rehabs are observing a rise in admissions due to this and other changes in user behaviors.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, methamphetamine was typically manufactured by small-scale, local operations, using readily available over-the-counter medication containing ephedrine.
Ephedrine is a naturally occurring component of the ephedra plant, traditionally used medicinally as a stimulant and to ease breathing disorders such as asthma. Meth labs used the decongestant Sudafed, which contains ephedrine, to produce their illegal street drug. However, the new meth is a different breed altogether.
In 2006, Congress imposed greater restrictions on sales of Sudafed, making business suddenly much harder for local meth manufacturers. Mexican cartels soon took over production. They used a liquid chemical called phenyl-2-propanone, or P2P, which can easily be made using combinations of substances like lye, sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, and mercury.
P2P methamphetamine is toxic, and so far removed from ephedrine-based meth that it is barely the same product. Users have described it as similar to “paint fumes.”
P2P Meth and Psychosis
Psychotic episodes in meth users are nothing new, and the link between the drug and psychosis has been the object of a number of studies, but it appears P2P meth causes psychotic symptoms more frequently, and in greater numbers of meth users.
Some effects of the new meth include delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia. These, however, are common characteristics of certain mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, so medical staff cannot immediately conclude they are meth-induced.
Other symptoms leave less room for doubt – when under the influence of P2P meth, people often imagine they are being pursued by something or someone. This not infrequently leads to aggressive, and sometimes violent, behavior.
It is a simple law of statistics that if meth causes psychosis, and more people begin to use meth, there will be more cases of people with meth-induced psychosis. Oregon is a good example of the new meth problem.
According to the latest Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2020, Oregon became the state with the highest rate of meth use in the country. This was the culmination of a steady rise over previous years.
As a direct result, Central City Concern closed the sobering center they were operating in Portland – the only one in the city. They were no longer able to manage the numbers of people turning up violent and unpredictable from use of meth and related drugs.
P2P meth is also wreaking havoc on criminal defendants awaiting court appearances. Data released by Oregon state indicate that the number of individuals declared unfit for th eir criminal defense has tripled over the last ten years. So many of these defendants use meth that those who do not are the exception, not the rule.
While for some, legal procedures are able to resume after two weeks or so, once the effects of psychosis wear off, for others the psychotic effects of the drug can last for months, or even not resolve at all.
The New Meth and Homelessness
The homeless community seems particularly affected both by meth use and its psychotic effects. In Oregon, the number of homeless people has more than doubled in recent years. They are a very vulnerable segment of the population. Living on the streets induces a state of hypervigilance in many people.
Sleeplessness and stress place strain on their minds and bodies, and their living conditions do not allow them to take good care of themselves. These preconditions in a person can make meth-induced psychosis far worse for them and longer lasting.
Homelessness appears also to be a part of a vicious cycle many meth users facing criminal charges go through. People are admitted to the hospital on the grounds of court competency and stay for up to a few months.
This is rarely long enough to establish a reliable health diagnosis. These patients leave without adequate treatment and often go back to being homeless.
They use meth again, suffer its psychotic effects once more, and are readmitted to the hospital, with their condition worse. Many repeat this cycle multiple times.
Is the New Meth a Direct Cause of the Rise in Homelessness?
It is certain that there are many users of meth, other drugs, and alcohol who have no fixed abode. It is also true that a serious substance use disorder (SUD) can result in a person becoming homeless. Nevertheless, a number of sources, such as the University of California, say it is misleading to consider that meth use is responsible for increased rates of homelessness.
Issues such as the affordability of housing are the main drivers behind homelessness. Where permanent accommodation is more affordable, homelessness rates are much lower – even when drug use is very prevalent. West Virginia, for example, has more drug overdose deaths than any other state in the US, but has low rates of homelessness because rent is cheap.
It remains true that many unhoused people also have SUD. While it can be hard to establish whether the SUD came first or if being on the streets caused the drug abuse, using meth or any other drug is a severe impediment to finding a proper home.
P2P meth does indeed seem to keep people stuck in whatever predicament they find themselves in if psychosis kicks in. People can be raging, agitated and violent, or on the contrary completely uncommunicative.
These are not good conditions for establishing a dialogue with sources of help, such as permanent supportive housing programs (PSH) that prioritize people requiring assistance – for mental health issues for example – for housing opportunities.
What is undeniable is that P2P meth abuse is escalating. Over the past three years, methamphetamine has played a part in more drug deaths than fentanyl and heroin. Effective countermeasures are urgently required.
Read Also
- Full-Arch Dental Tourism: Why UK Patients With Severe Bone Loss Are Looking Abroad
Dental implants have become one of the fastest-growing segments of private dentistry. Within that market, one patient group behaves very differently from the rest: people who have been told they do not have enough upper jawbone for conventional implants. For these patients, the choice is rarely between one clinic and another. It is between a… Read more: Full-Arch Dental Tourism: Why UK Patients With Severe Bone Loss Are Looking Abroad - Levels of Mental Health Care and When to Seek SupportMental health care can range from occasional outpatient appointments to 24-hour hospital treatment. The appropriate level depends on safety, symptom severity, daily functioning, medical needs, available support, treatment history and personal preferences. A licensed clinician should assess these factors rather than relying on a symptom list alone. Need help now? In the United States, call… Read more: Levels of Mental Health Care and When to Seek Support
- How to Choose a Shilajit Brand Based on the ResearchIn a randomized trial published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2019, 63 active men took 250 mg of standardized shilajit, 500 mg, or a placebo every day for eight weeks, and the benefit for strength retention after a fatiguing workout appeared only at 500 mg. For anyone choosing a… Read more: How to Choose a Shilajit Brand Based on the Research
- How to Incorporate Relaxation into Your Busy ScheduleFinding balance when you have a packed daily agenda often feels out of reach. Between work duties, family obligations, and personal projects, personal rest usually gets pushed to the bottom of the list. Small, intentional shifts in daily habits can help restore calm without requiring hours of extra free time. Continue reading to discover everything… Read more: How to Incorporate Relaxation into Your Busy Schedule
- Red Light Therapy for Skin and Wellness: Meet Vital Red Light TherapyModern wellness is not always about complicated treatments or long routines. Many people are now looking for simple, convenient ways to support their skin, recovery, and overall wellness at home. One technology getting more attention is red light therapy. Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light to support the body’s natural… Read more: Red Light Therapy for Skin and Wellness: Meet Vital Red Light Therapy
- Managing Shock Loss After a Hair Transplant: The Financial and Clinical Imperative of Post-Op CareIn the rapidly evolving landscape of private healthcare, executive leadership within cosmetic and restorative surgery clinics faces a dual challenge: maintaining strict clinical standards while maximizing patient lifetime value (LTV) and brand advocacy. As the global medical tourism and elective procedure markets expand, clinical outcome quality alone is no longer the sole differentiator for premium… Read more: Managing Shock Loss After a Hair Transplant: The Financial and Clinical Imperative of Post-Op Care
