By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], November 25 : Senior Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Nimesh Desai has warned that the synthetic drug Methamphetamine poses serious health risks, particularly for youth and individuals with mental health vulnerabilities. According to Dr Desai, Methamphetamine can trigger psychosis or schizophrenia in susceptible individuals and is extremely difficult to treat due to the absence of an antidote.
He further highlighted that the drug is increasingly being used by affluent young adults and executives, raising concerns about its growing popularity in urban circles.
Speaking to ANI, Dr Desai, who is also the former Director of the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), described the synthetic stimulant as having a highly dangerous profile in both the short and long term.
"Meth is a synthetic drug that's basically a CNS stimulant, and so it has a much more dangerous profile in both the short and long term for the users..." Dr Desai said.
Dr Desai further explained that there is no antidote or drug available to stop the addiction to Meth. "Firstly, it can trigger psychosis or schizophrenia in susceptible people. Secondly, the process of getting people off it after getting addicted is very difficult because there is no antidote or drug available. It's good that the supply curtailment law enforcement keeps happening. Unfortunately, these expensive, synthetic drugs are becoming quite a fad among the rich, affluent class and among young executives," he said.
He further added, "The methylphenidate medicine was essentially a CNS stimulant that was also used as a medicine for rare conditions like ADHD, and is still used. This blue meth is really a methylphenidate version that can be produced in a small lab, and so it doesn't even need a huge trafficking network."
The psychiatrist further highlighted the overlap between substance abuse and mental health issues. "We see young people with meth use, especially with mental health problems. There is an overlap between drug abuse problems in youth and mental health issues... When they coexist, drug use like meth with schizophrenia or psychosis becomes a major clinical and public health problem..." he said.
Officials said an investigation is underway to trace the full network behind the seized consignment.
A joint team of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Special Cell (Counter Intelligence Unit) of the Delhi Police has busted a major transnational drug network and seized 328 kg of Methamphetamine worth Rs 262 crore during a three-day operation conducted across multiple locations in the national capital.
According to officials, the operation began with a raid at a house in Delhi and culminated in Chattarpur, where the bulk of the contraband was recovered. The seizure is among the most significant hauls of synthetic drugs in recent months, highlighting the growing presence of high-purity Methamphetamine in metropolitan drug circuits.