Crystal Meth in Jerusalem: Drug Enforcement in the Middle East

Crystal Meth in Jerusalem: Drug Enforcement in the Middle East

Methamphetamine remains a drug with the potential to cause significant harm. Jerusalem, like Tel Aviv, is situated in the Middle East, a region facing a notable spike in crystal methamphetamine consignments, often referred to as **”shabo” or “shisheh”**. This signifies a new challenge for local law enforcement and public health systems.

Regional Usage and Sourcing

The Middle East region faces a growing threat from synthetic stimulants, most prominently Captagon, but with a significant rise in crystal methamphetamine.

• Middle East Context: Methamphetamine seizures are steadily on the rise, with the drug commonly originating from **Iran and Afghanistan**, often leveraging established trafficking routes.
• Sourcing: The majority of methamphetamines in circulation in the region originate from Iran and Afghanistan, with some flows coming from South Asia’s Golden Triangle.
• Forms of Methamphetamine: Crystal methamphetamine is commonly referred to by the local street names **”shabo” or “shisheh”** in this region.

Severe Health and Social Consequences

The harms associated with methamphetamine use are universal and pose a severe public health threat in any community, including Jerusalem.

Physical Effects

• Cardiovascular Damage: Methamphetamine use immediately increases heart rate and blood pressure. Long-term abuse can lead to severe health problems like stroke, heart attack, and heart failure.
• Toxicity and Overdose: Use can cause fatal or non-fatal overdose (“overamping”), seizures, and a rapid, dangerous increase in body temperature (hyperthermia).
• “Meth Mouth”: Chronic use often results in severe tooth decay and loss. This is caused by a combination of drug-induced dry mouth (xerostomia), teeth grinding (bruxism), and poor hygiene.
• Infections: Injecting methamphetamine significantly increases the risk of acquiring and transmitting blood-borne viruses like **HIV and viral hepatitis**. It can also lead to bacterial infections, such as endocarditis (a heart infection).

Psychological Effects

• Psychosis and Paranoia: Long-term use is strongly linked to psychotic symptoms, including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and fixed, false delusions. A common delusion is the sensation of insects creeping under the skin (*formication*).
• Violent Behavior: Chronic users may exhibit aggressive and violent behavior due to agitation, paranoia, and severe mood swings.
• Cognitive Decline: Long-term abuse causes brain changes, resulting in deficits in memory, attention, problem-solving, and verbal learning.

Social and Community Impact

• Addiction: Methamphetamine has a high potential for abuse and dependence, leading to compulsive drug-seeking behavior.
• Community Harm: Methamphetamine use threatens whole communities, contributing to new waves of crime, unemployment, and child neglect or abuse.
• Economic Strain: The drug poses significant challenges to healthcare professionals and places a substantial burden on law enforcement and the legal system.

Legality and Penalties in Israel

Israel maintains a strict legal framework for high-risk narcotics like methamphetamine.

• Personal Use and Possession: Possession and use are strictly controlled. Penalties for use are punitive, with potential for mandated treatment as an alternative measure in some cases.
• Trafficking: The production and distribution of methamphetamine are treated as strictly criminal offenses, often carrying severe prison sentences to deter the supply of dangerous narcotics.