How Long Does Meth Stay in Your System?

Meth or methamphetamine is an exceedingly addictive stimulant, influencing the central nervous system. Though, meth in small doses is legally prescribed for finite medical purposes, most recreational doses of meth are illegally manufactured. The National Drug Threat Assessment Theory in 2015 revealed the greatest drug threat in 33% of the responding areas was posed by meth, and that it was easily accessible in 42.2% of the responding areas. So to blame only America with all the problems related to drugs would be highly playing it down.

Meth, in colloquial language, is also known as “crank”, “crystal”, “glass”, or “rock candy”, and its colour ranges from white to light brown and resembles a heavy crystal which looks like ice. Though heavy users tend to inject or smoke meth, it can also be snorted or taken orally. A short but intense rush is produced soon after smoking or injecting meth. Meth causes a longer high, lasting for about half a day, if snorted. The feeling of euphoria is the main reason why addicts choose to take it recreationally.

Meth addiction is a serious public health problem with myriad adverse consequences like cardiovascular, pulmonary, and dental diseases. Acute use of meth can lead to severe cognitive impairments which are bound to persist when you try to abstain from it. Though there are no approved medications for this particular addiction, it can be effectively treated by contingency management, cognitive behavioural therapy, and motivational enhancement strategies.

What is meth and why do people use it?

Methamphetamine hydrochloride is a compound that comes in a number of colours, based on its clarity and purity. Meth has very little medical use. It may be used to treat a number of ailments including narcolepsy, anxiety, and attention deficit disorder, and in such cases, meth can be taken orally in the form of pills.

Consuming meth will make you experience the following:

• Reduced fatigue
• Alertness
• A sense of euphoria
• Reduced depression
• Weight loss

 Why is meth harmful?

When it comes to crystal meth, there are a few things you must keep in mind. One of them being, meth usually comes in an almost pure form. It consists of d-pseudoedephrine. This particular compound is potent and powerful and may often lead to overdose, even more than the other compounds.

In some cases, people tend to combine alcohol with meth to enhance the effect. Combining any alcoholic beverage with crystal meth will intensify your euphoria. Crystal meth is typically purer than powdered meth and has a longer lasting effect and adverse psychological impacts.

Some of the devastating side effects of crystal meth include:

• Aggressiveness
• Alertness
• Blood poisoning
• Collapsing of blood vessels
• Delusions and delirium
• Hallucinations
• Headaches
• Infections caused due to syringes like HIV or hepatitis
• Insomnia or sleeplessness
• Irritability and agitation
• Light sensitivity
• Malnutrition
• Nervousness
• Paranoia
• You might start picking at own skin
• Meth mouth or decreased dental hygiene
• Psychosis
• Tremors and seizures
• Violent behaviour
• Weight loss

How long does meth stay in your system?

Various drugs and their metabolites stay detectable through drug testing for various time periods. Meth stays in the body for a much longer time period as compared to cocaine, 50% of which leaves the body after only an hour. The more you consume, crystal meth will stay in your system for a longer time.

The factors which determine how long crystal meth stays in your system are:

• If you have been consuming meth on a more or less regular basis for a while now, chances are, the meth’s going to stay in your system longer. This is because eventually your body develops a kind of tolerance and dependence. Naturally, your blood stream retains the meth for longer than it should.
• Your metabolic rate is equally important. Some people have a fantastic metabolic rate, which means your body processes everything you consume at a rapid rate. In that case, meth won’t stay in your body for long. Slower the metabolic rate, the longer meth will stay in your system.
• If you have developed a tolerance to meth, it will stay in your body longer. As a matter of fact, the meth will take longer to kick in as well.
• It also depends on how you are taking it. As mentioned, meth may be consumed in a number of ways. Depending on that, meth will stay in your system for a definite period of time. For instance, if you are snorting meth, it should take about 1 to 4 days. While smoking up meth ensures that it stays in your system between 3 to 5 days. If you are injecting crystal meth, the drug will stay in your system for a period of about seventy two hours.

Detecting meth through the help of tests

Meth, being such a common drug, is easy to detect. As a matter of fact, there are a number of tests that can be carried out in order to determine the amount of meth in your system. This is how it is done:

• Blood tests – These are the most common types. Twenty four to seventy hours post consumption of meth, the drug can be detected through blood tests.
• Urine tests – These tests are usually carried out to detect meth in the body once it has been three to six days since you consumed meth
• Saliva tests – These are much more immediate. These can detect meth 5 to 10 minutes post consumption.
• Hair tests – These are extremely accurate. Between fourteen to ninety days of consumption of meth, these tests can determine the amount of meth in the body.

 How long does meth stay in your urine?

The suspected user would be required to urinate in a cup, and a dipstick would test the content and that would determine how long did meth stay in the urine. The longevity of meth in urine usually ranges from 2-5 days, which differs as per the rate of metabolism.

How long does meth stay in your hair?

Experts have said that meth can stay in your hair for approximately 90 days. So if you think the drug can be washed off, you are wrong and you are left with no choice but to wait patiently.

How long does crystal meth stay in your system?

This will be determined by your metabolism. Usually, in 12-24 hours, it will be reduced to half. However, if you are a heavy user, meth will take longer to leave your body.

Addiction to meth can cost you your life. Adolescents are at particular risk to crystal meth abuse as it has a major impact on the brain development. If you or someone you know is into meth, it is recommended that you seek medical help as soon as possible.

How long methamphetamine stays in your body is a not as big a question which needs to be addressed as compared to the fact as to why you should fall prey to methamphetamine. However, if you still have, then it is of utmost importance to learn about the risks before resorting to medications as it is a highly dangerous drug.