This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Ellisville-Area Experts Detail Meth's Health Dangers

Methamphetamines have been in our news and the community may know it's "bad," but why? Area experts explain.

Methamphetamines may have seemed like a rural problem removed from our localities, but recent events like the  and Ellisville City Council's and subsequent (a main ingredient for meth production) recently have brought it into the local spotlight.

Eastern Missouri's battle with methamphetamines has brought national attention from USA Today, Reuters news service outlets, and several specialty programs. 

Banning of substances used to make the drug in the rural counties has increased sales of those substances in St. Louis county, and just this year so far Missouri meth lab incidents almost double that of any other state, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol statistics.

Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In addition to the local debate, Missouri is considering a law banning pseudoephedrine statewide in hopes that the shift of meth production from rural to suburban areas as a result of bans is an indicator that outlawing pseudoephedrine in an area will force the end of meth production. 

The USA Today article cites 1998 as the year experts say meth really took hold of Missouri. In 2012, our municipalities have seen the shift of influence of meth and want families to know how share the negative effects of meth with focus on impressionable youth. 

Find out what's happening in Ballwin-Ellisvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Methamphetamine is like caffeine on steroids, it gives one a high not unlike cocaine," said Dr. James Wessely, Co-Director of the emergency department at St. Luke's Hospital

"It increases the heart rate, increases blood pressure, and stimulates the nervous system. It can lead to extreme anxiety and even psychosis, and it can potentially cause lethal heart rhythms, heart attack and stroke," continued Dr. Wessely. 

Meth is well-known for its less-than-glamorous effects, as highlighted by the popular website Faces of Meth, in itself a tool used to prevent meth use.

Renee M. Heney, Director of the Rockwood Drug-Free Coalition, points out that often by the time someone tries meth, they are already embroiled in other illicit drug and alcohol use. 

"Kids do not typically decide to try meth or heroin unless they’ve already tried alcohol, tobacco and/or marijuana," Heney said. "Often times, they decide to try meth or heroin for the first time when they are already under the influence of another substance.”

Heney said it is vital that parents do not treat alcohol or marijuana use as a "rite of passage" and turn a blind eye. In addition, parents need to remember direct health effects aren't the only negative effects of substance abuse. 

"Using illicit drugs, prescription opiates not prescribed to you, or alcohol when underage can cause numerous and varied health problems," Heney said.  "These range from impaired brain development, to substance addiction, to changes in behavior—which can result in truancy, sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy, physical assaults, theft and so on—to death from overdose or accidents."

See also

How Meth Destroys the Body: PBS Frontline special report (links to full Meth Epidemic series as well)

Parents: The Anti-Drug: resource on how to talk to kids about illegal substance use

Meth Prevention Handbook: materials for preventing meth use

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Ballwin-Ellisville