| Methamphetamine usage is one of the most serious | | | | tolerance to methamphetamine’s pleasurable |
| drug issues facing the US today. The dilemma begins | | | | effects can develop. In an effort to intensify the |
| with the ease of acquisition – the drug is simple | | | | desired effects, abusers may take higher doses of |
| to make and what is not made in small neighborhood | | | | the drug, take it more frequently, or change their |
| labs is readily available in large quantity on the global | | | | method of drug intake. Withdrawal from |
| Black Market. The drug is a highly addictive stimulant | | | | methamphetamine occurs when a chronic abuser |
| that affects the central nervous system and causes | | | | stops taking the drug; symptoms of withdrawal |
| an intense craving much longer than that of most | | | | include depression, anxiety, fatigue, and an intense |
| drugs. | | | | craving for the drug. Chronic methamphetamine |
| Methamphetamine use has been reported by many | | | | abuse also significantly changes the brain. Specifically, |
| law enforcement agencies to have been responsible | | | | brain imaging studies have demonstrated alterations in |
| for greatly increased incidents in robberies, burglaries | | | | the activity of the dopamine system that are |
| and domestic violence. A recent report by the Pew | | | | associated with reduced motor speed and impaired |
| Charitable Trusts cites the increase in | | | | verbal learning. Recent studies in chronic |
| methamphetamine use to be one of the primary | | | | methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe |
| causes of their prediction of rapidly escalating prison | | | | structural and functional changes in areas of the brain |
| populations over the next five years. | | | | associated with emotion and memory, which may |
| Second Chance Center is offering a long-term criminal | | | | account for many of the emotional and cognitive |
| and drug rehabilitation program, as an alternative for | | | | problems observed in chronic methamphetamine |
| the judiciary. “In a typical treatment program the | | | | abusers.” |
| staff are having to deal with that heightened craving | | | | A long-term detoxification program is used by the |
| of meth and that puts a lot of pressure on the staff. | | | | Second Chance Program to remove drug residues |
| Because they are not secure programs, the inmates | | | | trapped in the fatty tissues of the body. “Our |
| can just walk right out the door.”, explains Rick | | | | program uses vitamin therapy, exercise and a unique |
| Pendery, the national executive director of the | | | | sauna-based detoxification to release the drug |
| Second Chance Centers. “We have a secure | | | | metabolites, the residue remaining in the body’s |
| treatment program. It looks a lot like a jail, with | | | | fatty tissues from the metabolism of drugs and flush |
| locked doors and barbed wire perimeter. However | | | | them out of the system through sweating in the |
| the entire security staff operate with the program | | | | sauna.”, says Pendery. “Extensive studies |
| staff to help rehabilitate the offenders sentenced | | | | document that this protocol eliminates the stored |
| here. They are sentenced by the judge for six to | | | | metabolites. It has also been found that the presence |
| nine months, so they are not going anywhere. The | | | | of these drug metabolites create a ‘biochemical |
| biggest barrier any rehab center has is the intense | | | | personality’ in which the person has a tendency |
| craving that the participants exhibit, forcing them to | | | | to be less honest, more violent, more criminal and |
| take more meth. A program needs to be long | | | | produce an increased craving for drugs. When these |
| enough to be effective at the same time providing | | | | metabolites are released form the fatty tissues the |
| an environment free of drugs or the chance for | | | | participant’s attention and ability to reason is |
| them to get any other drugs.” | | | | improved. This helps some of those issues that are |
| A report written by the National Institute on Drug | | | | particular to a meth addict. This sauna detoxification |
| Abuse, updated in 2006, entitled, Methamphetamine, | | | | module is based on the research of L. Ron Hubbard, |
| Abuse and Addiction, cited, “With chronic abuse, | | | | the founder of Scientology. |