Methamphetamines Essays - Neurochemistry, Methamphetamine

Methamphetamines Methamphetamines are powerfully addictive stimulants that dramatically affect the central nervous system. The drugs are made easily in clandestine, or illegal laboratories with cheap over the counter ingredients. These factors combine to make methamphetamines drugs extremely dangerous, and vulnerable to widespread use. Methamphetamines are also commonly known as speed, meth, or chalk. In its' smoked form they are often referred to as ice, crystal, crank, or glass. They are a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. Methamphetamine's chemical structure is similar to that of amphetamine, but it has more pronounced effects on the central nervous system. Like amphetamines, they causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well being, which can last 6 to 8 hours. After the initial rush, there is typically a state of high agitation that in some individuals can lead to violent behavior. Contrary to the stereotype of rural areas as idyllic, protected environments in which to raise families, substance abuse is as great a problem as it is in the cities. One must realize that rural communities vary in characteristics considerably, which complicates our understanding of rural substance use problems and increases the need for prevention, intervention, and treatment programs. For too long, the problems of alcohol and drug abuse in rural areas have received little attention from the federal level. As national studies show, those who live in rural areas are just as likely to have alcohol and other drug problems as those who live in large and small cities. The choice of addictive substances may differ, but the prevalence of abuse is virtually the same for country and city dweller alike. Less attention has been focused on drug use in rural than urban areas despite evidence that metro and nonmetro differences in rates of substance abuse have been declining. Between 1975 and 1991, the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) collected drug, alcohol, and tobacco use data from individuals age 12 and older living in U.S. households. These data are used to report trends in illegal drug use for large and small metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of the United States. Lifetime-use patterns of marijuana, hallucinogens, inhalants, and cocaine by age group for the three population density areas are compared. In general, nonmetropolitan prevalence rates for the four drugs were slightly lower than those for the two metropolitan population density areas, however, the rates appear to be converging. Lifetime substance use was highest for those age 18 to 34. (Moxley,1992 p.119) A clandestine laboratory is a laboratory used for the primary purpose of illegally manufacturing controlled substances, such as cocaine and methamphetamine. Clandestine labs are typically small, utilizing common household appliances, glassware, and readily available chemicals. (KBI, 1997, p.1-2) Clandestine laboratories come in all sizes and are found in a variety of locations. The most common and the fastest growing type of lab is the methamphetamine lab, or crank lab. Methamphetamine laboratories have been seized in homes in residential areas, vehicles, apartments, hotels, kitchens, bathrooms, garages and various other outbuildings. (University of Kansas, 1995, p. 6) There are many different methods for producing Methamphetamines. Each method has its own inherent dangers. Many of the chemicals used are corrosive or destructive, and some of the processes create noxious and harmful fumes. Additionally, many of the chemicals can be found in common household items such as Coleman fuel, some cleaners, and diet pills. The most productive laboratories are commonly located in rural areas, such as farms, rural residences and forestry land. Rural areas are often targeted for laboratory manufacturing to avoid detection by law enforcement. Often these labs are larger and produce strong chemical odors, which could be easily detected by neighbors. (Weisheit, Wells, 1996, p.384) Clandestine laboratories are commonly operated on an irregular basis. Operators often produce a batch, or conduct one step in the process, then disassemble and store the lab, or move the lab to another location to complete the process. This is often done in order to avoid detection by law enforcement. (KBI, 1997, p.2) Methamphetamine labs are increasingly becoming a public safety hazard. Even months after a lab has been closed, chemical residue that has seeped into carpet or wood can be dangerous. (Gallon, 1998, p.48) Police and Firefighters must take special safety courses to handle meth situations because of the likelihood of explosions, invisible poison gases and other dangers. People who come into contact with the highly toxic chemicals that are used to make the drug can become sick and prolonged exposure can lead to cancer. The majority of methamphetamine labs are of the smaller

Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essays

Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essays Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essay Medicine, The Romans and the ancient Greeks Essay Essay Topic: History We often take it for granted that doctors can successfully treat most of mankinds diseases. In fact, were usually dumbfounded when they cant. But it wasnt that long ago those doctors had extremely limited knowledge and resources in fighting disease. The people of Ancient Egypt made several major medical discoveries and began treating diseases in a physical manner alongside older spiritual cures. Fuelled by a desire to enter the afterlife Egyptian knowledge of the workings of the body took in new areas of medicine ranging from a basic understanding to the introduction of surgical experiments. Medicine was very important to the Ancient Greek. Medical practice in Ancient Greece, like Egypt, was based largely upon religious beliefs. The Cult of Asclepios grew in popularity and was a major provider of medical care. This cult developed old theories and introduced several treatments not too dissimilar from modern alternative medicines (herbs, spices). Such treatment the Greeks used was the Temple of Asclepios this was a kind of health farm that you see today it included a stadium and this was for exercise to keep you fit and healthy and threw as also a gymnasium. The other buildings there were for religious purposes like the Abaton. This was for the patients to sleep in a warm, quiet area so that the Greek Gods and their healing snakes would visit them. The Asclepion was designed to relax the patients who were sick, injured or the stressed. The Ancient Greeks though made major strides in medical knowledge. The works of Hippocrates (a Greek medical genius) and his followers led to several scientific facts being recorded for the first time he was the first person ever to study the patients he was working with his method: diagnose, prognose, observe and treat. Hippocrates theory of the Four Humours was, for a long time, the basis upon which to develop their medical knowledge. Some of the medical methods we use are based around methods Hippocrates thought all them years ago! Roman medicine was a mixture of new theories and developments of Greek practices. Medicine was improved through the studies of Galen; this was through a desire to maintain a fit and healthy army to keep control of their empire. Medicine in Ancient Rome also brought about some great developments of Public Health facilities. Unlike the Greeks the Roman cities were very large and contained a lot of people, they did this so that communication was good and therefore ideas would spread quickly, but so would diseases. Instead of the Ancient Greeks the Romans had doctors to stop disease before catching it, whereas the Greeks would try to find a cure and they would take their time, the Romans could not afford to do this as they had a big army to look after and they could not risk plagues or other terrible diseases going through their armies. They had developed the Greek ideas of running water and washing thoroughly. The first doctors in Rome were Greek; they were captured in battle after the Roman Empire had now made their move for world domination. As you can imagine the people of Rome didnt like this, as they would feel inferior in medicine. In 46bc Julius Cesar (The Emperor) said that doctors could become citizens of the Roman Empire, as all the doctors in Rome were Greek, this was now an incentive for all Greek people to train as a doctor. The people of Rome didnt like the Greek method of treating the sick as they thought a healthy diet and exercise would not work. Everybody had read about Hippocrates who was a famous Greek doctor and the doctors became more frequent throughout Rome mainly to a shortage of jobs at the Greeks fallen Empire. The Roman population was now around 1million and they now had an independent government. The price for doctors was very high and for people who couldnt afford this they had to prepare home remedies, such as herbs and spices. They realised after a lot of people were becoming ill that they were all living next to a swamp that realised that the swamps were causing this disease that was killing the population, the disease is now commonly known as malaria. To prevent this they built a temple next to the swamp and dedicated this to the god of Fever. They soon noticed that this wasnt working and they decided to drain the pond. This proves that the Romans thought about their methods and questioned them and try to improve them. The Romans were now very wealthy and could afford to train their own doctors although the training was based on the Hippocratic oath deigned by Hippocrates the Greek doctor, but his method did work as not long after the Romans started to design their own instrument for amputations on their patients. They had started to employ Public Doctors these were to make sure the Roman people were all fit and healthy. There were still other method of curing or preventing disease and that was to build temples for the Gods theses were called Asclepions, they were to treat the injured and the unwell. They were also the first people to introduce the Roman baths these were for people to relax and to wash themselves in, they would cost a small amount of money so the baths could be kept clean. It didnt stop there as they invented the first public toilets, these were made to stop the public going to the toilet in the street to stop infection and disease. In Roman times there idea was that prevention was better than cure. but the main reason was that they thought that a bad smell meant that there was disease about and therefore they wanted to stop any bad smell this was also a reason why they built the Asclepions. They built these sacred medical buildings after a plague in 293bc. This is at least one of the similarities of the Greek and Roman medical knowledge. In AD 129-216 the new face of Roman medicine was arriving. Galen was a doctor from the age of 12; he had a very rich family. He met lots of important people and he was taught at the best medical school around in the great city of Alexandria on the mouth of the River Nile (Egypt) where he studied medicine for 10 years. Galen travelled around the Roman Empire finding out about new ideas and cures. He later returned back to his birthplace in Pergamum in 157AD to a job tending to the Gladiators and later in 161AD ha travelled to Rome to work on the Gladiators there. This is where Galen writes hid books about his cures and theories for illnesses. Galen then decides to dissect animals, as he wants to find out more about the human body. He cant cut up a human body, as that is illegal in the Roman Empire even for medical purposes! There was one problem with this method and that was that he thought the animals he was dissecting and looking at their bones were the same as human bones and so he wrote wrong information in his books i. e. he realised that monkeys had 2 jaw bones and so he wrote that humans did as well, but as we well know they do not.

Analysis of Brooks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of Brooks - Essay Example The theme is eminent at the begging of the book as refuges are hurrying to go back to their own home countries despite the travel barn warning issued by authorities. An example is that the airports are flooded by individuals who are fleeing from their host countries to find time of seeing their families. The planes are all boarded and individuals are even sleeping at the airport with the hope of boarding flights when opportunity avails itself. Individuals have grown to be protective of their families to the extent of even killing for them (Brooks 24). An example is that the main character despite knowing that it is not legal to shoot a fellow human since he was also san officer of the law shoots at the individuals who attacked his wife at the supermarket. Another scenario is the law officer who witnesses the shooting committed by the main character but ignores the scene just to get his stock of goods at the supermarket. While getting his daughter her medicines, the main character comes across an individual who is armed and also is search of the same medicine for his daughter. His was ready to shoot at the main character to get the medicine, but when he realizes they are in abundance, he offers some to the main character. This shows the level at which individuals are willing to go just to assure their loved ones safety (Brooks 79). Moreover, while on the run, the main character and his family comes across a building and loses their daughter there. They later find their daughter at a door asking a family who were hesitant to allow her in. This scenario shows how love had made individuals to become selfish to individuals who were stranger to them. They did not know the girl and they were protecting themselves as they did not know whether the girl standing at their door was infected or not. At the house and while sleeping, the boy at the house because of love shows pity to the