Ice Drug

The Threat of Meth and How to Recover

Beaches, waves, and vacations are what most people picture when they think of Hawaii. It’s a faraway, exotic land, and not many people know that it has a drug problem. Over the past three decades, methamphetamine and the ‘ice drug’ were major issues on the island.

Somewhat surprisingly, many individuals outside of Hawaii are completely unaware of this issue. Even if you are aware of the national drug crisis, you might not think that crystal methamphetamine usage has been rampant in Hawaii.

At Exclusive Hawaii Rehab, we’re well-versed in the damaging effects of crystal methamphetamine and have the tools to combat this and other drug abuse challenges. A silver lining of local issues with meth is that our treatment team has decades of experience helping clients overcome ice use and find lasting recovery from meth.

If you or someone you know is suffering from crystal methamphetamine addiction or has problems with other drugs, this article can help you take that next step toward recovery.

Keep reading to find out more about meth, the ice drug, and how to overcome even the most profound stimulant abuse at our gorgeous rehab center nestled in the hills of the big island of Hawaii!

Crystal Methamphetamine: A Long History In Hawaii

Crystal methamphetamine is a very potent and dangerously addictive stimulant that can cause profound changes in one’s mind and body. It’s a synthetic stimulant that’s commonly used recreationally because of how good it makes you feel. Because it looks like frozen water or shards of glass, crystal meth is often referred to as “ice” on the streets.

The drug crystal methamphetamine is abused in a variety of ways, including smoking, snorting, and injecting. Chicken Feed, Yaba, Biker’s Coffee, Poor Man’s Cocaine, Ice, and Batu are all aliases for crystal methamphetamine, or Ice, as it’s known on the islands.

Crystal methamphetamine users and addicts often have rapid and atypical tooth loss, a phenomenon known as “Meth Mouth.” Extreme teeth deterioration from prolonged crystal methamphetamine usage is a hallmark of this condition. It goes hand in hand with bruxism, wherein the teeth clench and grind, causing the enamel to erode and break, an open mouth while sleeping, and hyposalivation, wherein the mouth is abnormally dry.

Other drugs cause this same effect, but not to the extent and with the same rapid onset of those who suffer the effects of ice.

Ice Effects: How Taking Ice Affects Users

Ice affects most people in an extremely damaging way. However, it’s the initial feel-good experience that keeps Hawaiin users coming back.

Methamphetamine enhances both sexual pleasure and libido, leading to intense sexual behavior in those who take it. The substance has been linked to both an increased tolerance for sexual activity and an impaired ability to have an orgasmic sensation.

Because of these side effects, drug usage may increase the risk of engaging in sexually risky behavior, which can, in turn, transmit STDs. Vasoconstriction, or narrowing of the blood vessels, has been blamed for erectile dysfunction caused by the medication.

Symptoms of methamphetamine usage include:

The Worst Drug Abuse Problem In Hawaii

Ice or glass, a street name for high-purity crystal methamphetamine hydrochloride, is by far the most lethal substance in circulation in Hawaii. Coke, heroin, and other drugs are on the rise across the island as advanced drug smuggling methods make them easier to obtain.

Drug-related fatalities in Hawaii have overtaken those caused by car accidents and gun violence due to the high volume of drugs entering the state each year. This is just a small sample of the effects of ice throughout Hawaii.

How Do Makers Create the Effects of Ice? How Is It Made?

Crystal meth is a synthetic stimulant made from a wide range of chemicals, many of which are commonplace and may be obtained in your kitchen or local drug store. Pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredient in many cold remedies, is the major element in methamphetamine. The components in methamphetamine might vary depending on the process used to produce it. Red phosphorus, toluene (paint thinner), sulfuric acid, acetone, and other chemicals may be used.

The drug often appears bluish-white, like shards of glass. Users can feel the effects of ice for varying lengths of time depending on whether they snort, smoke, ingest, or inject the substance. The effects of an intravenous dose are felt within 15-30 seconds, but those of an oral dose can take many hours. The euphoria from crystal meth, when smoked, can endure for 8 to 12 hours – one of the primary driving forces for the level of drug addiction associated with the drug ice.

What Does Meth Look Like?

It’s also available as a white powder that has no discernable odor with a bitter taste and dissolves rapidly in water or alcohol. While most crystal meth is produced in big, underground labs, the drug ice can also be produced in smaller, covert facilities. The synthetic drug can also be synthesized using the shake-and-bake technique. People can use an empty two-liter soda bottle to combine the necessary components of the recipe.

Federal and state laws are supposed to prohibit the purchase of ingredients – which slowed the drug down. That was until the cartels began bringing it over in even larger amounts, thanks to huge, super labs – giant illicit laboratories.

Hawaii’s Storied Love Affair With Drug Use (and Recovery)

Among Americans aged 12 and above, Hawaii has one of the highest rates of illicit drug use.

Here are some of the most widely used illicit substances on the Hawaiian islands:

Since the 1980s, methamphetamine misuse has been a serious issue for the people of Hawaii. Ninety percent or more of it is methamphetamine in crystal form, typically smoked through a glass pipe. An individual’s aggressive, delusional, and paranoid tendencies and violent behavior may emerge as the euphoric effects of methamphetamine wear off. This is known as ice psychosis – one of the worst mental health problems associated with any drug.

Methamphetamine-fueled violent behavior in Hawaii has resulted in increased rates of assault, child neglect, burglary, and homicide. Honolulu has the highest methamphetamine prevalence rate in the United States, with over 35% of inmates testing positive for the drug, as ice psychosis runs rampant.

Honolulu International Airport, the largest airport in Hawaii, is a major entry point for illegal substances into the state. Honolulu International Airport seizes an estimated 90% of all methamphetamines entering Hawaii every year.

Drug Laws In Hawaii

Drug-related crimes carry different penalties depending on the substance involved, the amount involved, and whether or not the offender possessed, manufactured, or distributed the drug. As a result of efforts by the government and law enforcement, drug penalties in Hawaii have been stricter – but it hasn’t slowed down ice use. The following penalties come with ice use or possession – or in the worst cases, distributing:

One can classify drug charges as:

After that, the potential for reliance and harm posed by the drug will determine which of the five schedules each sentence will fall into. Heroin and various opium derivatives are just two examples of the deadly prohibited substances found in Schedule I. However, zolpidem and lower doses of codeine can be found in Schedules IV and V because they are considered safer. Meth is a Schedule II, has little to no medical value, and causes great harm.

Rules Regarding Rehab for Ice Use and Ice Dependence in Hawaii

Though Hawaii does not provide any public assistance for drug and alcohol recovery, several institutions do accept private insurance. Depending on a person’s situation, they may be eligible for monetary aid to help pay for selected services. The following are examples of helpful programs for people with substance abuse problems:

The HOPE program is an intense rehabilitation initiative designed to help those who do not qualify for drug court. Offenders who are very likely to break the terms of their probation are often involved.

The first stage of the HOPE program is the warning hearing, during which the broad rules and repercussions for a violation are discussed. After that, they have to phone a drug testing hotline once a day during the week. A drug test will be ordered at the courthouse if the assigned color is mentioned on the hotline tape. Six times throughout the first two months is the average amount of times a color is called. The designated color will be used less and less as time progresses.

A person will go to jail if they don’t follow the rules. They are eligible to return to the HOPE program whenever they are released from prison. Sixty-one percent of HOPE program graduates had clean drug screens over the preceding 12 months.

The Hawaii Drug Court

For nonviolent offenders, Hawaii’s drug courts have been a safe and supportive place to find help since the late 1990s. Participants in the program will be subject to community supervision rather than incarceration if they meet the program’s criteria. Services, including inpatient rehab, counseling, work programs, and support groups, are all part of the drug court’s holistic approach to healing.

There are now drug courts in a number of Hawaii towns. The program’s positive effect on drug offenders’ ability to lead sober lives has garnered global attention and stifled some of the ice use, and helped make a dent in the ice epidemic.

After completing the drug court program in Hawaii, approximately 95% of participants will not be convicted of a comparable charge again.

Hawaii’s Rehab Facilities

Those struggling with drug or alcohol addiction have a wide variety of treatment alternatives to choose from in Hawaii. Since an increasing number of young people abuse drugs, some middle and high schools have begun providing drug rehabilitation programs on campus. The Salvation Army is just one example of a local organization that offers low-cost addiction treatment. Examples of such services include social detoxification, outpatient rehabilitation, and sober living facilities.

There are advantages to receiving care close to home, but going to a facility in another state is also worth considering. Exclusive Hawaii Rehab is one of the leading providers for those looking for help against ice withdrawal and physical dependence.

Long-Term Effects of Ice

Long-term meth use is psychologically associated with high levels of anxiety, confusion, and erratic and, in extreme cases, aggressive conduct. Paranoia and auditory and visual hallucinations are common side effects for those who regularly use drugs. Methamphetamine’s psychological consequences can last for years, even after someone stops taking the drug. Long-term meth use is associated with psychotic episodes, dental decay, hair loss, significant weight loss, memory loss, coma, and even death.

Getting Real Treatment for Ice and Meth in Hawaii

When people experience crystal meth for the first time, like other drug experimenters, they have no intention of becoming dependent on it. They begin taking it casually and experimentally at parties to “experience what it’s like.” Even occasional usage of crystal meth quickly leads to dependency and addiction. The impacts of meth addiction on the user, their loved ones, and their community are devastating.

If you or someone you care about has a ice drug problem, get assistance now. Self-detoxing from crystal meth can sound appealing because of the promise of a “quick fix,” but the reality is that the process can be very dangerous. The withdrawal symptoms can become life-threatening if you are also addicted to other substances or have underlying health problems.

Contact Exclusive Hawaii Rehab today. For a local problem, you need a local solution, and we’re experts in battling the crystal meth epidemic on the islands and throughout the US. For more information and confidential consultation, contact a member of our Intake Coordination team today!