Cuba Missouri Police Department

METHAMPHETAMINE is a derivative of AMPHETAMINE and is a very dangerous and addictive drug, often manufactured in illegal labs. Methamphetamine can cause damage to neurotransmitters in the brain, such as the seratonin and dopamine levels. Long term use can be very damaging and can lead to Parkinson's Disease, as well as many other health complications. Methamphetamine can also raise blood pressure and heart rate and can lead to damage to the blood vessels, which may cause Irregular Heart Beats, Heart Attacks and Strokes. A person using Methamphetamine may also become severely anorexic because it depresses the appetite.

Methamphetamine can be taken several ways. It is commonly smoked, snorted, taken orally by swallowing pills, or by intravenous injection. Methamphetamine can be identified by different colors, which ranges from white to yellow to darker colors such as brown and red.

Marijuana. The Latin name for Marijuana is Cannabis sativa, also known as "pot", "grass", and "weed". Marijuana is commonly a mixture of the leaves, flowers, seeds, and leaves of the plant. It is commonly smoked as a rolled cigarette or in a bong. A "Blunt" refers to a cigar, in which the tobacco has been removed and filled with marijuana and sometimes another drug, and then smoked.

The main active chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). In the brain, certain nerve cells contain protein receptors that bind to THC. THC can set off a series of cellular reactions that ultimately lead to the high that the user experiences when marijuana is smoked.

The risk of heart attack increases with smoking marijuana, perhaps due to the increased heart rate and increased pulse that one experiences under the influence. Smoking marijuana can also increase the chances of respiratory illness.

Marijuana has a very unique and pungeant odor. If you are a parent and would like to watch for some of the signs of marijuana use, here are a few things you can watch for.

(1) Watch for behavioral changes in your child, such as depression, withdrawal from family, unusual sleepiness, or absenteeism at school.

(2) Look for rolling papers and other marijuana paraphernalia such as pipes or bongs hidden in your child's room.

(3) Red bloodshot eyes and the extra use of Visine or other clear eye products.

(4) Unusual giggling and binge eating, or having a hard time remembering things that just happened.