Crystal meth, the purest form of methamphetamine, is one of the most popular recreational drugs in the United States. Crystal meth is quickly growing in popularity as opioid accessibility goes down, as people become more isolated, and as lifestyles change. In 2018-2019, an estimated 1.6 million people used methamphetamines like Crystal. In the 2019-2020 period, that rose to 2 million. Of those, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports over half are addicted, with more than 1 million Americans showing symptoms of methamphetamine use disorder.  

According to the CDC, the rising popularity of crystal meth, which was once slowed by negative media depictions by shows like Breaking Bad, heavily tracks to rising opiate and pain pill controls intended to reduce opiate addiction. But, without also offering proper addiction treatment, many of the people originally addicted to opiates are simply pushed towards new drugs. Today, 0.4% of the U.S. population has a methamphetamine addiction.  

If you or a loved one is using, considering, or addicted to Crystal meth, it’s important to understand the drug, how it works on your body, and how long it stays in your system. And, if you’ve used and are facing a drug test or medical checkup, understanding what the results will be and what your options are can help you to make the right decisions for your health and your career.  

What’s the Difference Between Meth and Crystal Meth?  

Crystal meth is quite simply a very pure form of methamphetamine, which forms in a crystalline structure. It’s sold this way to show that it is pure. However, it’s the same substance you’d get in a paste, putty, or powder. The effects are the same, albeit stronger. So, crystal meth can stay in your system longer than a weaker form of the same drug.  

In fact, while all meth is generally smoked or injected, crystal meth can have effects as long as 24 hours following the initial dose with the same intake methods. A weaker form of the same drug would not have the same effects.  

Methamphetamine Half Life  

Half life is a common term used to explain how long drugs can be effective and how long they stay in your system. It describes the rate of metabolism, in which the “half life” is the duration between initial injection and the point at which the amount of substance in your system halves. This rate is normally constant, meaning that it takes the same time to get from “half” to “quarter” to “an eighth”.  

Here, meth has a mean half life of about 12 hours, meaning that it takes your body 12 hours to halve the amount of the substance in your system, another 12 hours to quarter that volume, and so on.  

Of course, the mean is the “average” achieved by adding all metabolic half-lives of meth and achieving an average. In actuality, meth will have a half life ranging from 5 to 30 hours. Absorption and metabolism heavily depend on whether the substance has been injected, snorted, or smoked. You also have to consider the purity of the meth. In the case of crystal meth, you’re almost always looking at the higher timelines, because you’re dealing with a very pure form of the drug.  

So, how long does crystal meth stay in your system? That mostly heavily depends on the volume and strength of the. meth taken and how. If you take a prescription recommended dose of 30mg it’s halved to 15 in your system within 12 hours. By 24, you’re down to 7.5. At 60 hours, you’d have slightly less of a milligram of drug left in your system.