SUTEEDUANGSAMORN 1

Nichanan Gam Suteeduangsamorn

Mr. Abel Cadias
English 10-06
March 6, 2015
Why Meth is popular among Thai University Students?
Methamphetamine is popular among Thai university students for many reasons such
as it helps in relieving stress and it releases dopamine to the body. The purpose of this report
is to find out why Meth is popular among Thai university students. The importance of this
report is to show why Meth is popular among Thai university students. However, this report
also showed what Meth really does to the body and how it would affect the health so badly.
The information found in this research based on five sources. First, the Foundation called
Drug-Free World explained that Meth is highly concentrated. Second, Dr. Sirisak
Thitidilokrut explained that Meth users may have short term effect. Third, Pitaya Jinawat
pointed that most of the Meth user in Thailand are teenagers. Furthermore, The Statistic from
the Thai Royal Police Headquaters revealed that crime about Meth rises rapidly though these
years. Lastly, the poll from Bangkok Poll showed that the main reason teenagers tried Meth is
because of peer-pressure.
What is Methamphetamine?
According to a blog from the Foundation called Drug-Free World, it states that
Methamphetamine is highly concentrated and highly addictive. Methamphetamine is an
illegal drug, same class as cocaine which is also highly concentrated. It has many street
names- Meth, Speed or Ice are the most common (The Truth about Drugs Booklet, 2012).
Based on an article written by Dr. Sirisak Thitidilokrut, Methamphetamine is made up of
many types of chemicals such as Sodium Hydroxide, Ephedrine, Red Phosphorus and

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Hydrochloric acid. It can be either be smoked, snorted, injected or eaten. When people take
Meth, it produces a fake chemical that released into the brain called Dopamine. This causes
people to think that theyre happy when really its damaging the brain and the fake dopamine
chemical also destroys peoples actual dopamine chemical. Meth burns up the body resources
and will create a devastating dependence which would go off only by taking more drugs.
Many users reported that since the first time they tried Meth, they got addicted. Its so
addictive because after people do Meth, they wont be able to feel the happiness until they
take Meth again. The reason Meth has been in existence is because during the World War II, a
chemist invented drug to help the soldier stay waking during night time to help they stay for
their guard. Methamphetamine does no harm to the soldier because it was given to the
soldiers in small amount, but now people are abusing it. In Southeast Asia, Methamphetamine
is very popular, for example Yaba (Meth in a form of small pill) in Thailand and Shabu in the
Philippines. But Crystal Meth is the most popular form of Methamphetamine for teenager in
Thailand (Pitaya Jinawat, 2012).
Methamphetamine and Thai University Students
In Thailand, even there was a big suppression since 2008, the spread of the drugs in
Thailand seem to be epidemic again especially with High School and University students.
According to a information from many organizations showed that the group of target for
drugs that need to be taken for drugs that need to be taking care of is teenager in a range of
15-24 years old and most of them are University student. Pitaya Jinawat pointed out that in
2008, the crime that is involved with drugs rised from the year before about 43 percent. More
Importantly, 66 percent out of hundred of the cases were about Meth which corresponded
with the report from the National Statistical Office that states that Meth have been widely
dispersed to University, rises from 22.5 percent out of hundred in 2003 to 34 percent out of
hundred in 2008. It can be seen that almost half of University students are involved with

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drugs especially Meth, which is the most popular drug of all. University became both places
for taking drug and also drug trading, usually students are the dealer themselves. Female
students also involved in being a users and a dealer, also the average ages seen to be
decreasing every year (Research from Social Research Institution, 2009). Its interesting to
see that the most popular drug is Meth. The second place is Cannabis. However,
Methamphetamine is mostly addicted by female students, not male students.
The Causes of Methamphetamine in Thai University Students
Based on a research from Social Research Institution, Chulalongkorn University
showed that Methamphetamine is more popular among female students compared to male
students. Pitaya Jinawat also pointed out that Meth is more popular in female student because
Thai female students believe that Meth would make them skinnier and have a paler skin.
Mostly, these ideas came from a viral new that was shared virally on the internet since 2012,
An actress from a popular series have a leaked photo of herself smoking meth, which shes
very pretty, thin and have a very white skin so maybe it lead female teenager to believe that
theyre because of meth. According to an information from an organization called Patient
Information Leaflets pointed out that meth doesnt make you thinner or have a paler skin but
it make your body lack vitamins and mineral and make your body to dilapidate. From a
survey from the Royal Thai Police Headquarters pointed out that Thai teenager usually tried
meth because of the peer-pressure, which is a very big influence for teenager. Also, some of
the teenagers want to try meth by themselves. Might be because they want to copy their role
model like celebrity, for example Miley Cyrus, whom talked about partying and doing drugs.
Furthermore, Family might be another reason, such as having family-issue or even not
teaching child about drug might be another reason. Therere much more reason why students
use meth but these are the most common based on the survey.

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Conclusion
The Purpose of this research report is to find out why Thai university students find
Methamphetamine interesting. This research report concluded that Thai teenagers have a
belief that meth would make them have a paler skin and skinnier. Furthermore, Thai
teenagers also use meth because of peer-pressure, curiosity and also family problem. Meth is
the most popular among Thai university students, followed by Cannabis. This research
reports recommended studies on does celebrity life styles really have an effect on teenager.
References
Statistic of Meth user in Thailand. (2009, August 7). Retrieved February 26, 2015 from
www.hiso.or.th/health/file/tonkit17/Pages3drugaddict.pdf

Causes of Meth in Teenager in Thailand. (2015, January 3). Retrieved February 26, 2015
from thaiinfonet.com/

Thitidolokrut, D. (2010, May 2). Teenager with Belief about Meth. Retrieved March 2, 2015
from Mcpswis.mcp.ac.th/html_edu/cgibin/mcp/main_php/print_informed.php?
id_count_inform=1050

Jinawat, P. (2004, February 13). Methamphetamine may lead teenager to death. Retrieved
February 24, 2015 from www.momypedia.com/article-6-35-243/-

Methamphetamine is epidermic for students again. (2010, October 18). Retrieved February
24, 2015 from www.ppb.moi.go.th/midev03/upload/101153-6.pdf

Foundation of Drug-Free World. (2012). The Truth about Meth. In The Truth about
Drugs Booklet. Los Angeles.