Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug which induces a strong feeling of euphoria and is highly addictive. Pure methamphetamine is a colorless crystalline solid, or a paste sold on the streets as crystal meth, glass, ice, or crystal. It is also sold as less pure crystalline powder called crank or speed, or in rock formation termed tweak, dope, or raw. It has become one of the world's most significant illicit drugs.

Street names

Methamphetamine has many street names; it was known as rain in the 1960s, and terms in popular use today include shit, pope-dope, glass, ice, crystal, or tina for purer forms, or as less pure crystalline powder termed crank or speed, and in rock form as tweak, dope, or raw (in Hawaii, the slang term batu is often used). Parts of North Texas use the name glory, named for the "glorious" feeling experienced during a first or good high. In New Zealand, the term "P" is used. "Crystal meth" is the crystalline form of methamphetamine. TIK,as the drug is referred to in South Africa has spread like an epidemic not previously witnessed with any other substance abuse. The lack of education, overall awareness and knowledge of the reasons, causes, effects and corrective measures and areas of required funding to resist the eventual social calamity if not addressed by the highest order is a huge cause of concern. In its purest form, it is commonly referred to as "glass" or "ice". This is because it appears to be broken shards of glass or crushed ice. The term ice has also been used for a less common illicit stimulant, 4-methylaminorex, which often causes confusion.

Related Topics:
1960s - Hawaii - New Zealand - P - South Africa - 4-methylaminorex

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As methamphetamine was quite popular in Japan after World War II, the nickname shabu has persisted. While some street folk may now call it just "shabs", the origins of this nickname come from the Japanese word for "swish". Either the Japanese commonly smoked it, or the name swish came from the behavior of the people under the influence. Chorea (or St. Vitus Dance) is quite commonly seen as a symptom of prolonged use. In Japan, meth usage also now seems to be quite taboo (people say that the person who shakes their leg makes the other people around them 'lose their fortune', and sometimes older Japanese folk will hold your leg completely still until you have stopped shaking). A rather large percentage of Japanese had become dependent on the drug for profit, motivation, or entertainment soon after World War II. The Japanese banned the drug soon after World War II, adding to growing yakuza businesses. The leaders of large yakuza began to control supplies which had once been produced for military purposes. A rather large underworld is still associated with the drug in Japan, with some people being associated with a society separate from most of the law abiding citizens of Japan based purely on this chemical.

Related Topics:
Shabu - Chorea - Taboo - Yakuza

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Nazi Dope generally refers to methamphetamine made with anhydrous ammonia, since it is rumored that this was the way the Nazis synthesized it in World War II. This same method is sometimes called annie's dope or just annie.

Related Topics:
Anhydrous ammonia - Nazi

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Yaba are methamphetamine tablets, often colored and flavored as candy. Yaba means "crazy drug" in the Thai language and is popular in East Asia and Southeast Asia, where the drug is produced.

Related Topics:
Yaba - Thai language - East Asia - Southeast Asia

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TIK is the street name of methamphetamine used by a sharply increasing number of addicts in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Related Topics:
Western Cape - South Africa

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The origins of the exclusively used South African term 'Tik' was coined in mid 1996 by the initial group of 20 to 30 users, all in their mid 30's and residing in middle/upper class Cape Town, all financially secure professional or self-employed entrepreneurs. A single source & limited weekly supply of approx 30 grams methamphetamine that was adulterated (cut) with Epson salt (magnesium sulphate) was sold by a well known regular dealer/supplier of 'E's' & badly cut coke to this circle of aquaintainces .'Ice' as it was commonly referred to, was sprinkled on tin foil, heated beneath with a lighter to allow the encircled users to jointly inhale the fumes through straws. The Epson salts caused the product to form an instant crust on the foil, necessitating a user to periodically crush the decreasing product with their index finger to a powder form to prevent wastage through burning.

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The Afrikaans term for typing is to ?TIK?- a typewriter is called a ?TIK MASJIEN?.

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Extraordinary long periods of time was spent by some of these users in front of PCs through the stimulating effects of the 'Ice'. As novices, one finger typing was the norm. The combination of using the same finger for the periodic ritual of tapping (tikking), their crusty 'Ice Fix' neatly centered on the tin-foil beside them, the phrase of " I'm Tikking right now " was the reply to a question from another user as to their current activity.

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Thus, a descriptive term for methamphetamine was coined by these early drug users, who thought it would give their 'secret wonder drug' its exclusive anonymity, especially when referred to in public. Now, nearly 10 years later its the most widely used slang term in the working class suburbs that decribes the product,the ritual and the state of the user: "Hy is lekker dik getik!" - "He is thoroughly tweaked up!"

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