But meth addicts turning into a pubescent Skeletor is not a universal constant. Like every drug, meth affects each user differently.
"I actually gained weight," said Oscar. "It's a lot more invisible than people think ... I work in mental health, and users will say, 'You don't know, you've never used drugs.' People just don't expect it from me." Meth addicts aren't all homeless copper-hungry zombies. Most hold down jobs and (aside from the drug use) aren't criminals of any sort. Statistics suggest that if you work in an organization with 100 people, two or three are meth users. It may even be your boss -- it'd explain how they muster up so much pep on those team-building exercises.
Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images
"Alright, guys, team-building scavenger hunt! First item: a box of Sudafed from every drug store in town!"
The fact that the average meth addict looks nothing like the stereotype is why the drug is able to get its hooks in so deep. It's not hard to find online forums full of working mothers using the drug to give themselves the energy to hold multiple jobs and still be full-time parents. Kids tend to eliminate the opportunity for sleep, and meth tends to eliminate some of the need to sleep. Kids and meth: It's a match made in heaven.