Amphetamines are synthetic drugs that consist of chemical molecules produced in clandestine labs.
Whatever the shape, colour or origin of amphetamines sold on the street, it is impossible to know their exact composition. A dose of amphetamines may contain:
The pure substance
The substance mixed with other products
Everything else but amphetamines
Appellations courantes
Apparence
Particularités
Peanut
Pep
Pill
Amped
Bennie or Bennies
Amped
Benz or Benzies
Cartwheels
Blue Mollies or Black Mollies
Speed
Jelly Beans or Super Jellies
Hearts
Uppers
Pick-me-ups or Wake-me-ups
Wake-ups
Get-ups
Boot-ups
Sparkles
Dexies or Dexy
Footballs
Eye Poppers or Eye Openers
Lid Poppers or Lid Openers
Oranges
Fast Lightning or Lightning
The name often varies with the appearance of the drug.
Names often vary according to what the pill looks like and what is engraved on it.
Powder
Pills come in different colours and shapes, often with varied patterns engraved in them
Amphetamines are often cut with other products or drugs, which can make them more dangerous.
Effects of amphetamines
Amphetamines may cause the following:
Energetic feeling, restlessness
Nervous tics
Uncontrollable talkativeness
A feeling of physical and mental prowess
Decrease in appetite and ability to feel fatigue
Increased vigilance (ability to concentrate and pay attention)
Euphoria
Once the effects wear off, the person may:
Be exhausted
Feel irritable and anxious
Experience mood changes, become sad or depressed
Have restless and less restorative sleep
Risks associated with amphetamines and possible consequences
In the short term
Amphetamines may have the following consequences on a person’s health:
Insomnia
Contraction of jaw muscles, which can cause damage to teeth
Physical health problems, such as fever, rash and heart problems
Psychological problems, such as paranoia (the impression of being persecuted, for example), or psychotic symptoms, such as:
Confusion (difficulty organizing thoughts)
Disorientation (distorted sense of space and time)
Delirium
Hallucinations
In the long term
Long-term use of amphetamines may lead to a psychological dependency, which means that the person needs to take the drug more often in order to feel better about himself or herself, relax, calm down, feel stimulated or have the courage to face problems. Repeated consumption or higher doses of amphetamines can also lead to seizures (stiff body with jerky and involuntary muscle spasms) and even death.
To learn more, read the Addiction section of Problems Associated with Alcohol Consumption and Drug Use.