Stimulants

All stimulants temporarily speed up the way your mind and body work, but the effects are short-lived. People who use stimulants like Cocaine say they feel they have increased energy, increased heart rate, and a rush of euphoria.

Stimulants can also cause dilated pupils, paranoia, anxiety, sexual arousal, sexual impotence and comedowns.

Stimulants are addictive. They can cause depression and serious problems with anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks.

They can also cause sudden death from heart attack or stroke. Mixing with antidepressants or alcohol can be particularly dangerous.

If you take stimulants there are some things you can do to reduce the risks.

• Avoid alcohol – mixing cocaine and alcohol for example is really dangerous.
• You don’t know what your cocaine might have been cut with so always test it first.
• Don’t share snorting instruments, use a clean straw instead of a rolled-up note and make sure your surfaces are clean.

The drugs in this group fall into all three different class groups A,B and C.