Wendy Zukerman (Host)

And I should say that not all meth PSAs went for the scare the hell out of you approach.

And I should say that not all meth PSAs went for the scare the hell out of you approach.

But even this busy bee, who's frantically cleaning her house with a toothbrush, ends up in bad shape. And if all that wasn't bad enough, watching the news, it seems like we're in a meth epidemic with this super addictive drug only getting more powerful. This month, the New York Times wrote that meth is more dangerous than ever.

But even this busy bee, who's frantically cleaning her house with a toothbrush, ends up in bad shape. And if all that wasn't bad enough, watching the news, it seems like we're in a meth epidemic with this super addictive drug only getting more powerful. This month, the New York Times wrote that meth is more dangerous than ever.

But something here doesn't quite add up. Because, as scientists kept telling me, meth is an FDA-approved drug. Did you know this? In the US, it's used to treat ADHD, and it can be given to people six years and older. Children, we're giving meth to children. So today on the show, is meth really this horrendously bad drug where one hit will get you so addicted it'll ruin your life?

But something here doesn't quite add up. Because, as scientists kept telling me, meth is an FDA-approved drug. Did you know this? In the US, it's used to treat ADHD, and it can be given to people six years and older. Children, we're giving meth to children. So today on the show, is meth really this horrendously bad drug where one hit will get you so addicted it'll ruin your life?

What exactly does meth do to our brain and our body? When it comes to meth, there's a lot of... Oh, meth. Mmm, meth. And then there's science. Science vs. Meth is coming up just after the break.

What exactly does meth do to our brain and our body? When it comes to meth, there's a lot of... Oh, meth. Mmm, meth. And then there's science. Science vs. Meth is coming up just after the break.

Welcome back. Today on the show, meth. So right off the bat here, there's this idea that the new meth on the street is like meth on steroids. It's sometimes called super meth and headlines are screaming that it's a monster. It's actually not a new drug. Meth is still meth. But for a while now, it's been produced in a different way. And a big thing is that it's cut with less crap.

Welcome back. Today on the show, meth. So right off the bat here, there's this idea that the new meth on the street is like meth on steroids. It's sometimes called super meth and headlines are screaming that it's a monster. It's actually not a new drug. Meth is still meth. But for a while now, it's been produced in a different way. And a big thing is that it's cut with less crap.

An analysis of meth samples in the US done by the Drug Enforcement Administration found that in the late 90s, the purity of meth that you'd buy on the street was about 20%. Fast forward more than 20 years. On average, it's almost 97% pure. That is Walter White-level pure. So now let's find out what meth, just meth, is doing to our brain.

An analysis of meth samples in the US done by the Drug Enforcement Administration found that in the late 90s, the purity of meth that you'd buy on the street was about 20%. Fast forward more than 20 years. On average, it's almost 97% pure. That is Walter White-level pure. So now let's find out what meth, just meth, is doing to our brain.

And I really wanted to understand just what it felt like to take meth. So I reached out to our listeners who had tried it and had these awesome conversations about the highs and the lows of using meth. So here's how they described what meth can feel like.

And I really wanted to understand just what it felt like to take meth. So I reached out to our listeners who had tried it and had these awesome conversations about the highs and the lows of using meth. So here's how they described what meth can feel like.

So how can meth make you feel this way? Turn on the happy in your head. I talked about this with Professor Martin Paulus, scientific director at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research. And he loves studying meth. He loves watching TV shows about meth.

So how can meth make you feel this way? Turn on the happy in your head. I talked about this with Professor Martin Paulus, scientific director at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research. And he loves studying meth. He loves watching TV shows about meth.

So Mun told me that meth releases a bunch of chemicals into our brain, like adrenaline and serotonin. But a biggie is dopamine, which is kind of like the feel-good chemical. And meth does this pretty cool stuff to get dopamine really working in your brain.

So Mun told me that meth releases a bunch of chemicals into our brain, like adrenaline and serotonin. But a biggie is dopamine, which is kind of like the feel-good chemical. And meth does this pretty cool stuff to get dopamine really working in your brain.

Normally, what happens when you do nice things that bump up your dopamine, not meth, but let's say you have a little sex, you eat a little chocolate, you get a little dopamine hit.

Normally, what happens when you do nice things that bump up your dopamine, not meth, but let's say you have a little sex, you eat a little chocolate, you get a little dopamine hit.