Amphetamines and Methamphetamines are drugs that stimulate the central nervous system. Both drugs are closely related chemically, but the central nervous system effects of methamphetamine are greater. Both drugs have some medical uses, primarily in the treatment of obesity, but their therapeutic use is limited.
What they look like: Amphetamines are taken in tablet and pill form. Methamphetamine is a crystal-like powdered substance that sometimes comes in large rock-like chunks. When the powder flakes off the rock, the shards look like glass. It is usually white or slightly yellow, depending on the purity.
Also known as: Amphetamines – speed, uppers, ups, hearts, black beauties, pep pills, co-pilots, bumblebees, Benzedrine, Dexedrine, footballs, biphetamine. Methamphetamine – speed, meth, crank, crystal, ice, fire, croak, crypto, white cross, glass.
How they're used: Both classifications are snorted, smoked, ingested orally or injected.
Indicators of use: Both classifications – Irritability; anxiety; increased blood pressure; insomnia; aggression. Amphetamine – Dilated pupils and blurred vision; dizziness; increased body temperature; Methamphetamine – Nervousness; hyperthermia; compulsive behavior.
Physical/psychological impacts: Both classifications – Convulsions; malnutrition resulting from loss of appetite; addiction; if injected, increased risk of infectious diseases including HIV and various forms of hepatitis; Amphetamine – Chronic-use-induced psychosis, such as paranoia; visual and auditory hallucinations. Methamphetamine – Sleeplessness for up to 15 days; heart and blood vessel toxicity; hallucinations; formication (the sensation that insects are crawling on or under the skin); heart arrhythmia; stroke.
Workplace and employee impact: These drugs cause the body systems to speed up and decreases appetite. They are popular with employees who want to lose weight or maintain increased energy levels. When used consistently and in high doses, these stimulants cause serious problems associated with malnutrition and sleep deprivation. For example, an employee can become anxious, irritable and overreact to minor situations. He or she can also overestimate his or her performance capabilities and take more risks. Eventually, the employee will experience extreme physical and mental fatigue, which will make the employee unable to concentrate or make sound judgments.
How it hits home: In Philadelphia, the chief manufacturers of methamphetamine are traditional organized crime elements. Generally, the purity is 25-60 percent and the cost is approximately $80 per gram. Production, distribution and use in Pennsylvania are limited, with state treatment facilities attributing less than 1 percent of admissions to methamphetamine abuse. |
