Amphetamines
Other names
Speed, whiz, billy, sulph, uppers, dexies, base.
What is it?
Amphetamine is a stimulant drug. It is either a yellowish or pink powder and sometimes looks like small crystals. Base amphetamine comes in a more solid putty-like form. Amphetamine can also be found in pill form.
How is it used?
Amphetamine sulphate can be taken in various ways: orally, snorted or injected.
Effects
- Physical effects can include increases in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, a rise in body temperature, impaired speech, diarrhoea, constipation, blurred vision and dizziness
- Appetite reduced. Regular uses often show a rapid reduction in weight.
- Users feel more alert, energetic and confident. However the body's energy stores become depleted leading to feelings of tiredness, lethargy, anxiety, irritability and restlessness. This is often referred to as a come down or crash
- Regular heavy users of amphetamine may experience feelings of panic and hallucination.
- After using amphetamine the effects can last for several hours and can take a number of days to fully recover.
Risks
- Can cause physical and psychological dependency, as the come down increases the likelihood of repeated use to avoid a crash
- Mental health problems.
- Overdose
- Self-harm as a result of a crash and associated depression.
- Sharing injection eqpiment equipment puts the users at risk of infections like Hepatitis B or C and HIV/ Aids.
- Injecting can cause damage to veins leading to abcesses and thrombosis.
- General physical health problems associate with a poor diet and rapid weight loss.
- Long term regular use can cause heart or liver damage, depression, malnutrition, ulcers, skin disorders and exhaustion.
The law
- A prescription only medicine controlled under the Medicine Act and Misuse of Drugs Act 1991 as Class B drug. When it is prepared for injecting it is a Class A drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
- It is illegal to supply or possess amphetamine and it is also illegal for premises to be used for the production/supply of amphetamine.
- Maximum penalty for possession is 5 years in prison and/or unlimited fine.
- The maximum penalty for supply of amphetamine is 14 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
