METH EFFECTS:
"When I was seven my mother started using Meth and thatıs all she ever did. She would leave for weeks and would leave us with no food or support. She left a job that most people would die for. All six of my brothers and sisters are in different homes. Meth ruined my family that I will never be able to get back. Now my sister that is 15 is addicted...thanks mom."
Female Age 17, Idaho
THE FAMILY
Meth never ruins just one life at a time. Meth's power over users is so potent that they will lie, steal, even resort to prostitution and physical violence in order to obtain it.
Many users reject anything and anyone who stands in their way of getting meth, isolating themselves from parents, family, and friends.
Children of Meth-addicted parents are often left to fend for themselves, causing intense emotional harm that can lay the foundation for behavioral problems, depression, and future substance abuse.
Children of users are frequently exposed to many hazards such as second-hand smoke, risk of accidental drug ingestion, and HIV exposure from dirty needle usage. Other potential hazards include the presence of weapons, possibility of violence, and sexual or physical abuse.
Last year, over half of the children in protective custody in Idaho were there because of Meth-related abuse or neglect.
In the end, many families end up torn apart, with parents in prison, children removed from the home, and lifetimes of physical and emotional damage.