Introduction
Narcotic substances and the fight against them are a significant concern for many countries. To address this problem, various strategies and approaches are continually being developed to minimize the number of people at risk. The criticality and complexity of this kind of intervention stem from its integrated approach, which affects several areas of society. In Australia, methamphetamine is one of the common substances that are used and pose a danger to at-risk groups. The nature, history, and use study of this narcotic substance provides an opportunity to determine recommendations on how to respond to the issue of methamphetamine addiction in Australia.
What Is Methamphetamine?
First of all, before proceeding to the study of the problem of the effect of methamphetamine or meth on the selected risk group, it is necessary to gain an understanding of what this drug is. Jayanthi et al. (2021) defined it as an illicit psychostimulant that many individuals in the world use. In other words, this narcotic substance causes a high level of addiction due to the substances that are included in its composition. The National Institute of Drug Abuse provides a more extended description of this narcotic substance. Further, it is noted that “crystal methamphetamine is a form of the drug that looks like glass fragments or bluish-white rocks and is chemically similar to amphetamine, a drug used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy” (“Methamphetamine drug facts,” 2019, para. 1). Externally it represents It is a crystalline substance; therefore, it is often called crystal meth and has several ways of use. Among the most common are smoking, swallowing, snorting, and injecting.
Methamphetamine has several psychoactive effects that are noted when it is consumed. First, the most common of them is euphoria, characterized by an intense sense of pleasure and energy. The main problem in this context is that it creates a high level of dependence due to its operating principle. It is indicated that it “releases very high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the reward circuit, which “teaches” the brain to repeat the pleasurable activity of taking the drug” (“What are the immediate effects of methamphetamine misuse?” 2019, para. 2).
In addition to euphoria, individuals have an increase in such characteristics as attention, wakefulness, motivation, and motor function. This kind of increase in the activity of the human physical and psychological state is the result of a sharp contrast with the sober state. It also becomes a contributing factor in the occurrence of addiction.
Individual and Social Harms
Individual Harm
As part of the consideration of such a narcotic substance as methamphetamine, it is necessary to pay close attention to individual and social harms for Australians as a risk group. As already mentioned, this drug has a strong effect on the physical and psychological state of individuals, which becomes the first consequence of its use. Research stated that “meth has the capacity to modulate immune cells, giving the drug long-term effects which may manifest as neuropsychiatric disorders, and that increase susceptibility to communicable diseases, such as HIV” (Papageorgiou et al., 2019, p. 13). In addition, this dependence significantly increases the risks of cardiovascular diseases such as “vasoconstriction, pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerotic plaque formation, cardiac arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathy (Kevil et al., 2019, p. 1739). Other consequences for human health from the use of methamphetamine are dental decay and sudden weight loss, which can lead to additional complications.
The psychological consequences of using meth are no less profound. It causes many mental problems that range from less severe, such as stress, to more critical, such as paranoia or hallucinations. This is due to the substantial impact on the psychiatric system of a person and the high level of dependence that develops after some time of drug use.
It is also worth noting that individuals who use this drug are in constant psychological distress (Ohnishi et al., 2019). This aspect can also cause deviations such as mood swings, depression, and cognitive deficits. This psychological state, in the most critical and untreated cases, causes attempts to end life or harm other people.
Social Harm
The use of methamphetamine is one of the reasons why people lose touch and communication with their family and loved ones. This is due to a complete change of values, especially for those people with a substance use disorder who use it on a long-term basis. In other words, this dependence becomes the cause of conflicts between family members, which occur based on anxiety and a desire to warn individuals against using, and resistance and resentment on the other hand. In addition, those who choose to continue using the show neglect their responsibilities, especially when they have husbands/wives and children.
In many cases of methamphetamine abuse, an individual is faced with the fact that they have problems with the law. First, this is because in Australia, possession, supply, traffic, import, export, and manufacture of this narcotic substance are punished at the legislative level (“What are the laws about crystal methamphetamine?” n.d.). Thus, many individuals can receive criminal charges and end up in prison for these actions. As part of this aspect, it is also worth paying attention to the fact that many individuals are involved in criminal activities, such as robberies, to get money for drugs. It can also lead to incarceration, which will have an impact on compounding social challenges.
History of the Drug
Methamphetamine has a relatively young nature since it was synthesized only at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was created “from ephedrine by Japanese chemist, Nagayoshi Nagai in 1893. In 1919, another Japanese chemist, Akira Ogata streamlined the process and produced the first crystallized form of the drug” (Jayanthi et al., 2021, p. 2). Initially, meth was received as a derivative of amphetamine, which characterizes its similar features and components. The main distinguishing feature of the drug under investigation is that it has more potent stimulant properties.
Methamphetamine was used especially actively during the Second World War. It is indicated that “during the war, the German, English, American, and Japanese governments promoted methamphetamine use for endurance, wakefulness, and energy for military personnel” (Wagener, 2022, para. 8). In other words, it was used to increase alertness and increase the intervals in which soldiers can do without sleep. However, gradually, people noticed more severe consequences, which began to manifest themselves in fatigue and the inability of soldiers to function generally without narcotic effects.
Gradually, methamphetamine began to spread among the population. Initially, it was used to help patients who suffered from obesity and attention disorders, such as ADHD. However, as in the case of soldiers in the war, the percentage of its use as a recreational drug began to grow significantly, which led to increased concerns on the part of governments.
Thus, at the end of the twentieth century, regulatory legislative measures regarding methamphetamine and its use and distribution began to strengthen. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, meth had acquired the status of a prohibited narcotic substance, which began to be produced by clandestine methamphetamine laboratories (Norman et al., 2021). Currently, it is used extremely rarely for the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy; in other cases, its production, storage, and distribution are punishable by law.
Contributing Factors
Individual
As part of the consideration of the topic of methamphetamine addiction, it is necessary to focus on contributing factors among at-risk groups in Australia. The most significant value lies in paying attention to aspects such as set and setting for onset and intensification within the group. This circumstance can be influenced by many factors, including individual, social, economic, and environmental features.
Thus, with respect to the first group, it can be distinguished that mental health problems can cause involvement in drug addiction. Issues such as depression and anxiety have the most significant impact on this choice since individuals may not see any other way out of the situation. Moreover, the presence of any mental trauma, abuse, or neglect at an early age is essential, which increases the level of vulnerability of members of society.
Social
Another group of factors is socio-economic, which has an equally strong influence on the development of methamphetamine addiction. Research indicated that “peer influence occurs as a result of two interrelated and co-occurring processes, which are often reciprocal in nature: peer selection and peer socialization” (Henneberger et al., 2021, p. 58). In other words, many people start using drugs to strengthen their position among peers.
Economic
Another factor is a relatively large number of people in Australia who live below the poverty line or have a low economic status. Studies highlight the growing trend of diagnosing drug addiction in the young population experiencing homelessness (Dawson‐Rose et al., 2020). Thus, the lower the socio-economic status of individuals, the higher their risk of becoming addicted to amphetamines.
Environmental
Regarding set and setting, several critical factors can also be identified. The leading one is the situation created in the country regarding the use of narcotic substances and their harm to individuals. This aspect includes educational initiatives being developed and implemented to raise awareness and enhance individuals’ understanding in this area. One of these is the Drug Aware’ Meth Can Take Control’ prevention campaign that was created on December 13, 2015 (“Meth can take control,” n.d.). However, with an unequal distribution of these sources, many individuals may have a low level of knowledge about the dangers of using meth, which leads to an increase in addiction in the country.
Media Representations and Stigmatization
In the context of considering the situation that affects the spread of the use of methamphetamine and the increase in the risk group, it is essential to consider the role of the media. This aspect focuses on drug representations and stigmatization among the risk group and how it may prevent people from seeking support and help. Such a problem as stigmatization has a critical role in the fight against the use of narcotic substances. This is because it can force negative stereotypes about narcotic substances through the provision of images of individuals using methamphetamine. Thus, a negative attitude towards individuals who want to address their problems but cannot do so thoroughly because of biased forms.
A particular impression on the public is the media coverage of deaths. Research stated, “these deaths are presented as difficult to prevent due to being a predictable outcome of drug use relating to individual responsibility and circumstances, while relevant structural, economic, and socio-political factors are often ignored” (Sumnall et al., 2023, p. 3). This claim follows that media sources often miss an essential aspect: context, the absence of which reinforces societal biases.
Furthermore, people with addictions are often presented as psychologically unstable, which leads to the fact that they are viewed with fear. This becomes the reason that society tries to avoid them as much as possible, to contact them less, and to refuse services that individuals who are trying to get rid of addiction need. Moreover, many members of society, due to a lack of awareness about all aspects of addiction, may misunderstand those who need help. Therefore, it also becomes a barrier to receiving timely, qualified assistance, which can lead to severe consequences for well-being.
Recommendation to Prevent Drug Addiction
Based on the information received, several vital recommendations can be identified to prevent harm to Australia’s at-risk population. The main task at the moment for the government and potential stakeholders is to minimize the onset and intensification of methamphetamine abuse, which requires comprehensive measures. Therefore, it is crucial to develop and implement preventive and educational support strategies that will make a valuable contribution to limiting the problem under discussion.
As noted earlier, the development of educational programs that will spread awareness among the population about the adverse effects of drugs is of critical importance. This initiative entails approaches to be implemented both in educational institutions and at the community level. The first ones are valuable because the target audience is the younger generation; thus, if prevention is carried out correctly, it will be more effective.
Research emphasized that “teachers’ roles have resulted as the key factor for the prevention of the consumption of drugs because students spend most of their quality time at school” (Handrianto et al., 2020, p. 709). At the community level, it is also possible to conduct training events that will attract different age groups and spread knowledge not only about the dangers of drugs but also about ways to get help in the fight against addiction.
A critical feature of this proposed intervention is the widespread availability of these programs to all population groups. Special attention should be given to people who live below the poverty line. This is because they are the population group that has the most significant risk of involvement in methamphetamine use and distribution, which can lead to legal consequences and welfare problems.
In the context of developing a support strategy, it is also worth paying attention to providing extended accessibility to assistance programs for people with methamphetamine addiction. This implies introducing interventions into communities, such as group therapies, which offer numerous benefits for individuals suffering from the problem under discussion and at risk. Research showed a positive “effect of group behavior therapy on increasing self-control and tolerance of disturbance and reducing the difficulty of emotional regulation of drug addicts (Bolandnazar et al., 2023, p. 1). This is because individuals become aware that they are not the only ones with their problem and receive significant reinforcement. In addition, this is facilitated by the support of others in the group therapy. Joint efforts can have a positive impact not only on the fight against addiction but also on identifying techniques and approaches that enhance the effectiveness of this process.
As part of the recommendation measures, it is essential to note the importance of monitoring and evaluation initiatives. Their necessity stems from the fact that they will enable tracking the progress of implemented risk-reduction measures for the Australian population. In addition, they will contribute to highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy, which will be timely limited and transformed to obtain the most favorable outcomes.
Conclusion
In conclusion, drug abuse is one of the main issues that must be addressed to minimize the risk to the Australian population. Methamphetamine addiction is an issue that is caused by multiple factors, such as socioeconomic status, environment, level of education, and social status. The study of these aspects and awareness of their importance contribute to selecting the most productive strategy to help reduce cases of addiction involvement.
References
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