When it comes to smoking, second hand smoke is something that is definitely known to affect a person. Note here that second hand smoke is not the same as second hand cigarette smoke. This is because tobacco is burnt but methamphetamine is vaporized. This makes being in contact with any kind of smoke from methamphetamines potent. Therefore, if you were in a room where people were smoking methamphetamine and the room was not properly ventilated, you most likely would have a certain amount of the substance in your body. How much would depend on how long you were inhaling, the concentration, of the smoke and the amount of fat that you have in your body. Fat plays a role here because methamphetamine is lipid soluble and can be stuck in the fatty deposits of your body for a period of time until the fat stored is turned over.
Methamphetamine is a very old drug that was used for a wide variety of reasons because of its effects on the nervous system. It works by acting on the mood modulating neurotransmitters, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine. In a normal process, these neurotransmitters are released from the synaptic clefts of the nerves in a burst to provide the elation and euphoria that we would normally get to experience after a fruitful activity. Methamphetamine will cause a reversal of this directional flow causing more of these neurotransmitters to remain in the synaptic clefts. When this happens, there is a prolonged feeling of euphoria and hyperactivity. Most importantly, it will cause a person to focus solely on one task and doing it very fast. This is the reason why methamphetamine is considered in the treatment of attention deficit disorder. The problem is that the intake of this drug will eventually kill of brain cells. When there is too much dopamine in the brain, it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and causes the destruction of neurons. It takes the effect of monoamine oxidase, a naturally degrading agent of methamphetamines to break it down in the body. Eventually, it is completely broken down in the liver.
Meth can exist in the urine well after you have been in contact with it because just like cannabis and cannabinoids, methamphetamine is lipid soluble and can therefore be stored in your fatty tissues. When meth ends up here, it takes the burning of fat by rigorous exercise to remove it from the system completely.
Submitted by M T on January 18, 2010 at 10:50