What Is Crystal Methamphetamine and How Does It Work?
Methamphetamine is a white or yellow crystalline substance that is usually in powder form that can be snorted, smoked, or it can be mixed with water and injected intravenously or squirted in the rectum. The original term crystal used to refer to a highly potent form of methamphetamine in larger crystals, but now it is commonly used to refer to any form of the drug. Methamphetamine is a stimulant that works primarily on the neurotransmitter dopamine, as well as norepinephrine. Dopamine is a chemical with activity not just in the brain, but also throughout the entire body, including the heart, lungs, muscles, kidneys, stomach, intestines, and the blood vessels that supply oxygen to all these organs. Dopamine has various functions depending on where in the body it acts. Crystal causes a dramatic increase of dopamine in the brain by inducing brain cells to release their dopamine stores and blocking reuptake transporters that recycle dopamine for later use. The effect is an extremely high a
