What are Amphetamines?
Amphetamines are synthetic, addictive, mood-altering drugs that are used illegally as a stimulant but can be used legally as a prescription drug to treat children with ADD and adults with narcolepsy. The most common amphetamines and drugs similar to them that are abused are Methamphetamines and Cocaine.
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine, also called crystal meth or meth, is a synthetic stimulant with highly addictive properties. It is sold on the streets under several names, including those of chalk, ice, and crystal. It is bitter tasting, odorless and dissolvable in water. Meth can be abused by being smoked, injected, swallowed and snorted.
Signs of meth addiction and withdrawal include:
Intense scratching
Paranoia
Irritability
Twitching
Extreme weight loss
Insomnia
Poor hygiene
Psychotic behavior
Loss of teeth
Lack of energy
Severe depression
Crystal meth is a form of methamphetamine that looks like glass fragments or shiny, bluish-white rocks. When a person smokes it, the drug travels from the lungs directly to the bloodstream and causes an immediate high. Crystal meth generally has a higher purity level than the powdered version of the drug. Because of its high purity, crystal meth can produce longer-lasting and more intense effects on the body. The lingering effects of the drug can last for 12 or more hours.
Crystal Meth
Cocaine
Cocaine is a stimulant drug that usually comes as a fine, white powder. While cocaine delivers a euphoric rush of energy, it also has dangerous effects on the body. The drug can trigger heart attacks, strokes and sudden death — and it’s powerfully addictive.
Cocaine (which also goes by the street names coke, blow, rock, snow, toot and nose candy) causes intense feelings of pleasure and speeds up body functions. But because the drug’s high wears off relatively quickly, people may use it repeatedly to maintain that feeling. As a result, recreational cocaine use often leads to addiction. Cocaine abuse can suck people into a vicious binge and crash cycle. When they’re high on cocaine, they may feel on top of the world and invincible. But when the drug wears off, they often become fatigued, agitated and plagued by cravings.
Crack Cocaine
Crack cocaine is a cheaper, rock-like form of the drug that is made from powder cocaine. It’s called crack because of the crackling sound it makes when it’s smoked. One of the main differences between crack and cocaine is how quickly each drug affects a person. When people smoke or inject crack, they experience an almost immediate rush that lasts about five to 15 minutes. Snorting cocaine results in a slower and less powerful high than smoking or shooting the drug, but the effects usually last longer.
Signs of cocaine use include dilated pupils, hyperactivity and excessive talking, weight loss, runny or bloody nose, needle marks, irritability and anxiety, and changes in eating habits and sleep patterns