Methamphetamine: The Most Misunderstood Drug?

Hi. I'm Wendy Zuckerman, and you're listening to Science Versus. Today on the show, methamphetamine. More and more people in The US are trying it, and it's got this reputation as being one of the scariest and most addictive drugs out there. Is that true? I feel like basically every message that we get about meth is that it's this uniquely dangerous drug, almost in a category of its own. Like in this government PSA, you see a normal teenager whose life is ruined by it. I wish my tire had blown out that night. I wish my car had skidded off the road. I wish I had broken my neck, but I didn't crash. I drove to that party and I did meth for the first time. I did meth and now this is my life. And that's the idea, right? That meth is so addictive that if you try it just once at a party, you won't be able to stop. And in the meantime, it'll destroy your life. We hear that meth will rot your gums, make your teeth fall out. I mean, ever heard of meth mouth? And even worse, apparently after using meth, your brain will never be the same again. Some people, they just lose it. Stop looking at me. Research shows that taking methamphetamine, even just a few times, can impair your brain and movement for life, life, life, life, life, life, life, life, life. And I should say that not all meth PSAs went for the scare the hell out of you approach. I do have to play this bonkers ad that my editor remembers hearing a lot when she grew up in the Midwest. Look at me, busy as a bee, where'd I get all this energy? Oh, man. Mm-mm. But even this busy bee who's frantically cleaning her house with a toothbrush ends up in bad shape. And if all that wasn't bad enough, watching the news, it seems like we're in a meth epidemic with this super addictive drug only getting more powerful. This month, the New York Times wrote that meth is more dangerous than ever. We are in the midst of a crisis when it comes to methamphetamine. It's more destructive than any other drug. Law enforcers are starting to see the emergence of superpowered versions of meth. Experts say it's more lethal, and it causes extreme psychosis. But something here doesn't quite add up, because as scientists kept telling me, meth is an FDA approved drug. Did you know this? In The US, it's used to treat ADHD, and it can be given to people six years and older. Children, we're giving meth to children. So today on the show, is meth really this horrendously bad drug where one hit will get you so addicted it'll ruin your life? What exactly does meth do to our brain and our body? When it comes to meth, there's a lot of Oh, meth. Meth. And then there's science. …