Methamphetamine vs. Crank — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 24, 2024
Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive stimulant drug, while "crank" is a slang term for low-purity methamphetamine often associated with its street form.
Difference Between Methamphetamine and Crank
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Methamphetamine is a synthetic substance that affects the central nervous system, known for its potent stimulant effects and high potential for addiction and abuse. It can be prescribed in very limited cases for certain medical conditions, such as ADHD or obesity, under strict regulation. On the other hand, "crank" refers specifically to a form of methamphetamine that is typically lower in purity and often produced in illicit labs. The term "crank" can sometimes be used to describe methamphetamine in general, but it more commonly refers to this less pure, street-level variant.
The production of methamphetamine can be highly controlled and regulated when done for legitimate medical purposes, ensuring a certain level of purity and consistency. Conversely, crank is usually manufactured in makeshift, illegal labs where conditions and ingredients vary widely, leading to a product that can be much more impure and potentially more dangerous due to the presence of harmful additives or contaminants.
In terms of use, methamphetamine, when prescribed, is consumed in pill form and dosed carefully to manage specific health conditions. Crank, because of its illicit nature, is more often found in forms suitable for smoking, snorting, or injecting, which can lead to more immediate and intense effects, heightening its addictive potential and the risks associated with its use.
The effects of methamphetamine, including increased activity, decreased appetite, and a sense of euphoria, are due to its action on various neurotransmitters in the brain, such as dopamine. Crank, while producing similar effects due to its being a form of methamphetamine, can have more unpredictable outcomes due to its variable purity and the possible presence of other substances mixed into the drug.
The societal impact and legal implications of methamphetamine and crank are significant but differ in their specifics. Methamphetamine use, even when prescribed, is tightly controlled due to its high potential for abuse. Crank, as an illicit drug, is associated with a wide range of legal penalties and social issues, including addiction, crime, and community health problems, reflecting its status as a dangerous and unregulated substance.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A potent central nervous system stimulant with limited medical use
Slang for low-purity, illicitly produced methamphetamine
Production
In controlled, regulated environments
In unregulated, often makeshift labs
Form and Use
Prescribed in pill form
Typically found in forms suitable for smoking, snorting, or injecting
Effects
Increased activity, decreased appetite, euphoria
Similar effects but with greater variability and risk
Legal Status
Schedule II drug in the U.S., tightly controlled
Illegal, associated with various legal penalties and social issues
Compare with Definitions
Methamphetamine
A powerful stimulant drug used in limited medical contexts.
Methamphetamine is prescribed in rare cases for specific medical conditions.
Crank
Street-level, low-purity methamphetamine.
Crank is known for its variability and impurities.
Methamphetamine
Manufactured in regulated pharmaceutical facilities.
Pharmaceutical methamphetamine meets strict purity standards.
Crank
Linked with crime, addiction, and community health problems.
Crank use has contributed to significant social and legal challenges in many communities.
Methamphetamine
Prescribed for ADHD and obesity in very limited circumstances.
He was prescribed methamphetamine for his severe narcolepsy.
Crank
Produced in unregulated, clandestine labs.
The crank was manufactured in a hidden makeshift laboratory.
Methamphetamine
High potential for abuse and dependency.
Methamphetamine use can quickly lead to addiction.
Crank
Often found as a powder or crystalline substance.
Crank is commonly smoked or injected by users.
Methamphetamine
Considered a Schedule II controlled substance in many places.
Methamphetamine is heavily regulated due to its potential for abuse.
Crank
Increased due to impurities and unsafe usage methods.
The use of crank is associated with numerous health complications.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine (contracted from N-methylamphetamine) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug and less commonly as a second-line treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity. Methamphetamine was discovered in 1893 and exists as two enantiomers: levo-methamphetamine and dextro-methamphetamine.
Crank
Turn the crankshaft of (an internal combustion engine) in order to start the engine
The starter motor struggled to crank the engine
Move the pitch lever into the normal range and crank up the engine
Methamphetamine
An amine derivative of amphetamine, C10H15N, used in the form of its crystalline hydrochloride as a central nervous system stimulant, both medically and illicitly.
Crank
Give a bend to (a shaft, bar, etc.)
Paddle styles also vary—long, short, cranked, etc.
Methamphetamine
A highly addictive phenethylamine stimulant drug, similar to cocaine. Its systematic (IUPAC) name is (S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine.
Crank
Inject a narcotic drug
He's been cranking up on smack
Methamphetamine
Amphetamine used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant
Crank
A part of an axle or shaft bent out at right angles, for converting reciprocal to circular motion and vice versa
A long con rod which acts as a longer lever on the crank
Crank
The drug methamphetamine.
Crank
An eccentric person, especially one who is obsessed by a particular subject
I am used to getting crank calls from conspiracy theorists
When he first started to air his views, they labelled him a crank
Crank
A fanciful turn of speech.
Crank
(of a sailing ship) liable to heel over.
Crank
A device for transmitting rotary motion, consisting of a handle or arm attached at right angles to a shaft.
Crank
A clever turn of speech; a verbal conceit
Quips and cranks.
Crank
A peculiar or eccentric idea or action.
Crank
A grouchy person.
Crank
An eccentric person, especially one who is unduly zealous.
Crank
(Slang) Methamphetamine.
Crank
To start or operate (an engine, for example) by or as if by turning a handle.
Crank
To move or operate (a window, for example) by or as if by turning a handle.
Crank
To make into the shape of a crank; bend.
Crank
To provide with a handle that is used in turning.
Crank
To turn a handle.
Crank
To wind in a zigzagging course.
Crank
Of, being, or produced by an eccentric person
A crank letter.
A crank phone call.
Crank
Liable to capsize; unstable.
Crank
(slang) Strange, weird, odd.
Crank
Sick; unwell.
Crank
Liable to capsize because of poorly stowed cargo or insufficient ballast.
Crank
Full of spirit; brisk; lively; sprightly; overconfident; opinionated.
Crank
A bent piece of an axle or shaft, or an attached arm perpendicular, or nearly so, to the end of a shaft or wheel, used to impart a rotation to a wheel or other mechanical device; also used to change circular into reciprocating motion, or reciprocating into circular motion.
I grind my coffee by hand with a coffee grinder with a crank handle.
Crank
Clipping of crankshaft
Crank
The act of converting power into motion, by turning a crankshaft.
Yes, a crank was all it needed to start.
Give it a forceful crank.
Crank
(archaic) Any bend, turn, or winding, as of a passage.
Crank
(informal) An ill-tempered or nasty person.
Billy-Bob is a nasty old crank! He chased my cat away.
Crank
A twist or turn of the mind; caprice; whim;
Crank
A fit of temper or passion.
Crank
A person who is considered strange or odd by others. They may behave in unconventional ways.
John is a crank because he talks to himself.
Crank
A baseball fan.
Crank
(informal) An amateur in science or other technical subjects who persistently advocates flawed theories
That crank next door thinks he’s created cold fusion in his garage.
Crank
Synonym of methamphetamine.
Danny got abscesses from shooting all that bathtub crank.
Crank
(rare) A twist or turn in speech; word play consisting in a change of the form or meaning of a word.
Crank
(obsolete) A sick person; an invalid.
Crank
(slang) The penis.
Crank
(transitive) To turn by means of a crank.
Motorists had to crank their engine by hand.
Crank
(intransitive) To turn a crank.
He's been cranking all day and yet it refuses to crank.
Crank
To turn.
He's been cranking all day and yet it refuses to crank.
Crank
(transitive) To cause to spin via other means, as though turned by a crank.
I turn the key and crank the engine; yet it doesn't turn over
Crank it up!
Crank
(intransitive) To act in a cranky manner; to behave unreasonably and irritably, especially through complaining.
Quit cranking about your spilt milk!
Crank
(intransitive) To be running at a high level of output or effort.
By one hour into the shift, the boys were really cranking.
Crank
To run with a winding course; to double; to crook; to wind and turn.
Crank
A bent portion of an axle, or shaft, or an arm keyed at right angles to the end of a shaft, by which motion is imparted to or received from it; also used to change circular into reciprocating motion, or reciprocating into circular motion. See Bell crank.
Crank
Any bend, turn, or winding, as of a passage.
So many turning cranks these have, so many crooks.
Crank
A twist or turn in speech; a conceit consisting in a change of the form or meaning of a word.
Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles.
Crank
A twist or turn of the mind; caprice; whim; crotchet; also, a fit of temper or passion.
Violent of temper; subject to sudden cranks.
Crank
A person full of crotchets; one given to fantastic or impracticable projects; one whose judgment is perverted in respect to a particular matter.
Crank
A sick person; an invalid.
Thou art a counterfeit crank, a cheater.
Crank
Sick; infirm.
Crank
Liable to careen or be overset, as a ship when she is too narrow, or has not sufficient ballast, or is loaded too high, to carry full sail.
Crank
Full of spirit; brisk; lively; sprightly; overconfident; opinionated.
He who was, a little before, bedrid, . . . was now crank and lusty.
If you strong electioners did not think you were among the elect, you would not be so crank about it.
Crank
To run with a winding course; to double; to crook; to wind and turn.
See how this river comes me cranking in.
Crank
A bad-tempered person
Crank
A whimsically eccentric person
Crank
Amphetamine used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant
Crank
A hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle
Crank
Travel along a zigzag path;
The river zigzags through the countryside
Crank
Start by cranking;
Crank up the engine
Crank
Rotate with a crank
Crank
Fasten with a crank
Crank
Bend into the shape of a crank
Crank
(used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail
Common Curiosities
Why is crank considered more dangerous than pharmaceutical methamphetamine?
Crank's increased danger comes from its impurity, the potential presence of hazardous additives, and risky consumption methods.
Is "crank" just another name for methamphetamine?
While "crank" can refer to methamphetamine, it specifically denotes a lower-purity, illicit form of the drug.
Can methamphetamine be used safely?
Methamphetamine has very limited and controlled medical uses; outside of these, use is highly risky and often leads to addiction.
What are the legal consequences of possessing crank?
Possession of crank, being illegal, carries significant legal penalties, including fines and imprisonment.
What is the origin of the term "crank"?
The term "crank" may originate from the practice of hiding illicit methamphetamine in the crankcases of vehicles or from its stimulating effects.
How does methamphetamine affect the brain?
Methamphetamine increases the amount of natural neurotransmitters like dopamine, leading to heightened alertness, energy, and euphoria, but also potential for addiction and brain damage.
Why is crank associated with crime?
Crank is linked to crime due to its illegal status, the behaviors it induces in users, and the illicit drug trade.
Is it possible to recover from methamphetamine addiction?
Recovery is challenging but possible, with comprehensive treatment and support.
Are there treatment options for methamphetamine addiction?
Yes, there are treatment options, including behavioral therapies and support groups, but no FDA-approved medications specifically for methamphetamine addiction as of now.
Can crank be "cut" with other substances?
Yes, crank is often cut with various substances to increase volume or enhance effects, raising health risks.
How is methamphetamine classified under U.S. law?
Methamphetamine is classified as a Schedule II controlled substance, indicating a high potential for abuse but some accepted medical use.
Can methamphetamine cause overdose?
Yes, methamphetamine can cause overdose, leading to severe health issues like stroke, heart attack, and potential fatality.
What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine use?
Long-term effects can include addiction, brain changes, severe dental problems ("meth mouth"), and increased risk of infectious diseases.
What impact does methamphetamine have on communities?
Methamphetamine impacts communities by increasing healthcare costs, contributing to crime, and straining social services.
How does society view methamphetamine use?
Society generally views methamphetamine use negatively due to its association with significant health, legal, and social problems.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
