If you are familiar with America’s drug crisis, you probably know methamphetamines are one of the most addictive and devastating substances. To avoid detection by law enforcement, people manufacture meth in secret labs. Similarly, meth users will go to great lengths to conceal their habit from loved ones. While these factors have largely kept meth manufacture and abuse out of the public eye, one thing that’s impossible to hide is the smell.
Recognizing the Smell of Meth
While pure crystal meth doesn’t have much of a noticeable smell, its production involves toxic chemicals with strong odors that may remind you of cleaning solvents, sulfur, nail polish remover or ammonia. For example, a meth lab can smell like stale urine or glass cleaner, depending on what ingredients the manufacturers used to create meth.
Often, people with more sensitive noses describe the scent of meth as sweet or sour, or compare it to vinegar, burning plastic or paint thinner. Since meth manufacturers use dozens of different chemicals, the smell can vary widely from one manufacturer or even one batch to another.
Cooking or smoking meth releases various chemicals as gases. For example, chemicals called ethers can offgas a familiar hospital smell. The stronger a batch of meth smells, the more likely it is to have contamination from the byproducts involved in making it.
The Environmental Dangers of Meth
It’s possible to make meth from different chemical combinations. These include common household products you may have in your medicine cabinet or under your sink, like acetone or cough syrups containing pseudoephedrine.
Most of these chemicals are health hazards and can remain in the vicinity of a former meth lab site for years after authorities have shut it down. According to the U.S. Forest Service, one pound of meth creates six pounds of toxic waste that can leach into the soil and water and harm people and wildlife. Smoking meth can also be dangerous to members of your household by leaving residue on surfaces and resulting in inadvertent exposure.
Warning Signs of Meth Use
As a powerful stimulant, methamphetamine causes a decreased need to sleep and eat, an elevated heart rate, a sense of euphoria and increased aggressiveness or hostility. Using meth and staying awake for several days can result in psychosis, which is an inability to separate fantasy from reality.
Prolonged meth abuse can also cause severe long-term damage, with side effects including:
- Organ and tissue damage
- Respiratory issues
- Dramatic weight loss
- Severe tooth decay
- Open sores from picking at a crawling sensation under the skin
Recovering From a Meth Addiction
Meth causes brain changes that make it highly addictive and hard to stop using without help. If you struggle with meth addiction and a co-occurring mental health disorder, Hope by the Sea is here for you. At our family-owned California rehab, our dedicated team of trained addiction professionals and counselors provides effective addiction treatment tracks for a personalized recovery experience.
To learn more about what sets us apart and how we make recovery more accessible for our clients, contact us today. We’re here for you 24/7, and your call is always confidential.
