Amphetamines
Category: Stimulant
Also know as:
Base, Speed, Sulph, Whizz
Summary
Speed is an off-white or pinkish powder and can sometimes look like small crystals. However, there are other types of speed:
The ‘base’ form of speed is usually purer and is a pinkish-grey colour and feels like putty.
Crystal meth (methylamphetamine or methamphetamine) is a very strong, addictive and dangerous form of speed that comes in crystals.
4-methylamphetamine has been reported as looking like damp paste or putty.
Amphetamines that are used as medicines, such as dexamphetamine, are usually small white pills. Doctors use them to treat conditions like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
How it is taken
Most commonly, speed is dabbed on the gums or snorted like cocaine.
It can also be injected, mixed into drinks or taken as a ‘speed bomb’, which is when the speed is rolled up in a cigarette paper and swallowed.
Effects
Speed increases heart rate and breathing. It can make you feel energetic and confident, an effect which can last up to 8 hours after taking the drug.
People taking speed often experience increased alertness, concentration, and sex drive, coupled with a loss of appetite and desire for sleep. They may also have a strong urge to take more of the drug.
Negative side effects include jaw clenching, restlessness, aggression and paranoia.
Risk
Short term:
Some users may feel tense and anxious while using and afterwards many feel very tired and depressed. Depending on how much you’ve taken, it can be difficult to relax or sleep. The ‘comedown’, which can last a number of days, can make users feel really lethargic and down, and they can develop difficulty concentrating and with learning. The drug can cause sudden death from heart attack or stroke.
Long term:
Frequent high doses can cause panic, hallucination and weight loss. Heavy long-term use places strain on the heart and can cause mental illness. Amphetamines are addictive. Mixing speed with antidepressants or alcohol has been known to kill. Injecting ’speed’, and sharing injecting equipment, runs the risk of the injector catching or spreading a virus such as HIV or Hepatitis C. There is also the risk that veins may be damaged and that an abscess or a blood clot will develop.
Legal status
Amphetamines are a Class B drug, meaning it’s illegal to have, give away or sell. Possession of amphetamines can get you up to five years in jail or an unlimited fine or both. Supplying amphetamines to someone else, including your friends, can get you up to 14 years in prison or an unlimited fine or both.
When amphetamines are prepared for injection they become a Class A and can get you tougher sentencing if you’re caught with it or selling it. Possession of a Class A can get you up to seven years in jail or an unlimited fine or both. Supplying a Class A to someone else, including your friends, could lead to life imprisonment or an unlimited fine or both.
Find local help & support
There’s a wide network of local and community support services to help deal with drug problems.
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