Crystal meth 'explosion' alert

FEARS OVER GROWTH IN USE OF DRUG ASSOCIATED WITH HORRORS IN AMERICA

- DAMON WILKINSON

IT'S A drug often associated with backwater America and 'before and after' mugshots of addiction-ravaged faces.

But experts are warning crystal meth use is exploding on Greater Manchester's gay chemsex party scene.

And it's led to calls for more support and education amid fears of an burgeoning addiction crisis.

Meth is a stimulant causing alertness and arousal, which can be swallowed, snorted, smoked or injected.

But it can also lead to agitation, paranoia and psychosis, cause users to stay awake for days on end and lead to long-term mental health issues and heart problems.

Until recently there was a stigma around the use of meth- known as 'Tina' or 'T' - and it was pretty hard to get hold of in Manchester.

But since the pandemic attitudes have changed dramatically, a study by researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University and Greater Manchester Combined Authority has found.

And, crucially, the price has also dropped. A gram of crystal meth now costs around £40-£60, down from around £100-£120 two to three years ago. It's now largely replaced mephedrone as a drug of choice in Manchester's gay chemsex scene. Several users interviewed for the GM Trends study said its use was widespread. "From personal experience, being involved in that scene in Manchester, I can certainly say that in the last 12-18 months, there's been an explosion of use of crystal meth around Manchester," one told the researchers.