Sterling Braswell has written a fascinating book on drug use in America. It begins with the history of amphetamines. It has been used for almost 100 years. Methamphetamine was used in the 1920s to treat asthma, hay fever, and depression. At the time it was legal and did not carry a social stigma. Amphetamines were used in the military because they were believed to improve intellectual performance and incite aggression.
Hitler was injected with it. The Kamikaze pilots were injected before going on their suicide missions. JFK used it in combination with steroids to treat Addison’s disease. It was attributed to contributing to her abnormally high sex drive. Today, methamphetamine users come from all walks of life: students, soldiers, workers, housewives.
The harm caused by methamphetamine use is insidious. Dopamine nerve endings are damaged to the point that they put people at risk of developing Parkinson’s as they age. Some of the damage is permanent and some can last up to three years after use ends. Methamphetamine use triggers apoptosis that causes widespread cell death in various areas of the brain. The brain is affected similarly to the damage caused by Alzheimer’s and strokes. The personality of the abuser is also affected. They become paranoid, delusional, and violent. Braswell refers to his reality as “Mad City.” This becomes the user’s world.
In this book, Braswell also includes his own personal story of the hell he went through while married to Lucille, an addict. Lucille was unable to overcome her addiction and as a result of her methamphetamine addiction actions, she nearly destroyed Braswell. As she read her personal story, she kept hoping that their lives would improve and that Lucille would be able to overcome her addictions. Instead, he betrayed him and his family in every way possible.
The history of methamphetamines and other related drugs is covered in great depth. “American Meth” would be very helpful for substance abuse counselors and people in recovery. For my master’s program in Rehabilitation Counseling, I didn’t have any text that covered the story so deeply.
I think it is important that people who believe that drugs should be legalized should read “American Meth”. Crime is not only committed by people trying to get money for a solution, but people who are under the influence of this drug commit horrible crimes. Families are destroyed.
American Meth: A History of America’s Methamphetamine Epidemic
Sterling R Braswell
iUniverse, Inc (2006)
ISBN 0595380212
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/5)
