Crystal Meth is a colorless and odorless drug that is usually smoked but can also be snorted or injected. It causes intense but short-lived euphoric effects along with potentially dangerous physical and psychological side effects such as erratic behavior, increased heart rate, paranoia, and long-term health issues like brain damage or psychosis. Chronic use is associated with issues like tooth decay, skin sores, and weight loss. It goes by many street names and its effects, while similar to cocaine, are longer lasting.

1. Crystal Meth

2. What does it look like? Clear crystal chunks, similar in appearance to actual ice or glass. Crystal Meth is odorless and colorless.

3. How is it used? Crystal Meth is usually smoked, but is sometimes snorted or injected. The drug is abused because of its euphoric effects.

4. What are its short-term effects? The drug’s effects are similar to those of cocaine but longer lasting. Crystal Meth can cause erratic, violent behavior among its users. Effects include suppressed appetite, interference with sleeping behavior, mood swings and unpredictability, tremors and convulsions, increased blood pressure, irregular heart rate. Users may also experience homicidal or suicidal thoughts, prolonged anxiety, paranoia and insomnia.

5. What are its long-term effects? Long-term effects of Crystal Meth use can include brain damage (similar to the effects of Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease), coma, stroke or death. Chronic users may also develop distinct physical symptoms, as demonstrated by before and after pictures in the Faces of MethTM program. Signs of chronic use include weight loss, tooth decay and cracked teeth (“Meth Mouth”), psychosis and hallucinations, sores on the body from picking at skin, and formication (an abnormal skin sensation akin to "bugs crawling on skin").

7. street names Ice, Batu, Biker's Coffee, Black Beauties, Blade, Chalk, Chicken Feed, Crank, Cristy Crysta,l Crystal Glass, Crystal Meth, Glass, GoFast, Hanyak, Hiropon, Hot Ice, Kaksonjae, L.A. Glass, L.A. Ice, Meth, Methlies Quick, Poor Man's Cocaine, Quartz, Shabu, Shards Speed, Stove Top, Super Ice, Tina Trash, Tweak, Uppers, Ventana Vidrio, Yaba, Yellow Bam