“You’re not infinitely resilient. You’re not all-powerful,” said Peter Komendowski, the president of the Partnership for a Healthy Iowa which does outreach for current and potential drug users. “You’re not going to become a superhero or press a button to reboot your life. When you take a bad risk, it can define your entire life, and many of those risks don’t equate to a better definition.”

Meth users are prone to having intense itching because of body sores, severe dental problems that can manifest into a recognizable condition some refer to as “meth mouth,” and extreme weight loss. Violent behaviors, paranoia, and hallucinations often ensue as side effects of its use. So why would someone start using meth?

“Taking meth is like pressing the accelerator on your car until you crash down Washington Street,” Komendowski said. “Any drugs can stimulate dopamine, but when it comes to a prizefighter in the ring, none of them stand up to meth.”

Dopamine, responsible for activating pleasure and reward centers in the brain, is a major reason addicts continue to use drugs, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports. Sugar, sexual activity, and caffeine can cause dopamine release as well, not just foreign substances such as drugs.

Komendowski said the human body was not made to have outside substances alter it, telling people that the world is better than they think.

“Meth just really gets you high,” he said. “It fools you into thinking that everything is OK when really, it’s not. The blinders we are born with are the blinders that allow us to see reality and to feel it. When things promise more than reality can allow, life falls into destruction.”

The Partnership for a Healthy Iowa, previously known as Partnership for a Drug Free Iowa, delivers educational and outreach programs to decrease high-risk behavior and influence potential users. The organization primarily focuses on drug and alcohol abuse, but it also raises awareness on internet use and positive parenting.

Despite focusing on other subjects, meth use is still a high priority for the organization.

Methamphetamine will always be available, Komendowski said. Calling it a “persistent drug,” he said there is no medical purpose for meth; it is not a prescribed substance, but users will still find ways to access it. In addition, because of the drug’s parallels to Adderall, people who need that form of medication may turn to meth as a cheaper option.

According to the American Addiction Centers, a gram of methamphetamine typically costs around $100. In comparison, 100 tablets of Adderall can cost nearly $700.

Komendowski said a big reason some young people use methamphetamine is to cope with harsh aspects of life.

“We have a generation of young people who are being bred on more dreams than reality can allow,” Komendowski said. “Taking drugs is a way to approach life with a dream. We have no capacity to live that impaired. It’s completely artificial, it’s not sustainable, and [it’s] destructive. If the context for success has been defined by something that is not obtainable, people try to find a shortcut.”