Meth Use and Lung Health: what You Should Know

Meth can hurt your health in a number of ways soon after you take it. And if you keep using this dangerous drug, over time you put yourself at risk for long-term problems, including lung issues.

Meth constricts your blood vessels, which can raise your risk for lung damage and high blood pressure in the arteries to the lungs, the National Institute on Drug Abuse says.

Some research suggests other concerning links. A 2019 study in the journal ERJ Open Research ties meth use to higher rates of the lung infection pneumonia as well as acute respiratory failure, a condition where your lungs can’t get enough oxygen into your blood or can’t remove enough carbon dioxide from it. And a small study in the journal PLoS One suggests that your lungs absorb more meth than other organs in your body.

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Meth comes in several forms, including kinds you can smoke. Smoking of any kind can take a toll on your lungs.

How to Get Help

Help is available for meth addiction. And the sooner you get treatment for it, the more likely you’ll be to avoid dangerous health problems. Letting a meth addiction go untreated, on the other hand, can lead to severe physical and emotional consequences.

Residential treatment facilities are one of the best places to treat meth addiction, says certified alcohol and drug counselor Julie Schmidt. These programs can help you work through the stages of treatment, as well as learn healthy coping skills, she says. They also allow you to fully immerse yourself in recovery.

Don't wait. Connect to Care advisors are standing by to help answer any questions they may have about addiction treatment.