Methamphetamine Essay

Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant that is most commonly known as crank, crystal meth, speed or ice and is used as a recreational drug. It is well known to be mostly abused usually through ingestion, snorting, injection, or smoking - due to the fairly easy nature of producing it (METHAMPHETAMINE). However, it does have some minor useful medical uses such as in therapeutic “treatment of narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD)” (Methamphetamine drug profile). Methamphetamine is a polar molecular solid that is held together by intermolecular forces like London dispersion, dipole-dipole, and slightly stronger hydrogen bonds. The molecule is polar due to the electronegativity difference between hydrogen and nitrogen. It also allows methamphetamine molecule to hydrogen bond and thus being stronger than other polar molecular solids that cannot hydrogen bond. Methamphetamine is a polar molecular crystal which makes it soluble in polar compounds like
It commonly exists as a salt of hydrochloride, which appears as white powdery-crystals which could dissolve in water. It has a melting point of around 170-172°C, and a boiling point of around 212°C, which is relatively high due to its relatively strong hydrogen bonds. It can also exist as a base that is a clear liquid that has an odour like geranium leaves. Methamphetamine that is in clear and chunky crystal is usually consumed through smoking, and can also be snorted or injected (Everything You Need to Know About Crystal Meth).
Methamphetamine is part of a chemical family called the phenethylamines - which are mostly made up of a phenyl group, ethyl, and an amino group. Phenethylamines mostly comprise of stimulants and hallucinogens. Due to its asymmetric geometry, methamphetamine forms two enantiomers - which are compounds which are mirrors of one another- dextromethamphetamine and levomethamphetamine (Everything You Need to Know About Crystal