Drugs and Our Society
Amphetamines
Part 8
Amphetamines
1. Amphetamines have played an important role
in our society since first being marketed in
1927
- it was given to American soldiers during
WWII to fight fatigue / heighten mood / and
increase endurance
- they do produce side effects which was
discovered in combat
- Hitler’s bizarre behavior towards the end of
the war was caused by amphetamine use
Amphetamines, cont
2. History
- first used as a nasal decongestant and to
fight asthma which was very effective
- sold as inhalers under the name Benzedrine
- it began to be prescribed to increase work
capacity (doctor’s prescription only)
- in the 1930’s is was dispensed to treat:
depression and narcolepsy
- as well as an appetite suppressant and
given to hyperactive children
Amphetamines, cont
3. Pharmacology
- can be administered by ingestion / injection /
snorting / and inhalation
4. Orally
- produce peak effects in 2 to 3 hours
- half-life: 10 to 12 hours
- not totally eliminated for about 2 days
5. Injected effects are felt more quickly
- usually within 5 minutes
6. Because tolerance develops quickly
Amphetamines, cont
- many users do not derive pleasure from the
drug
- so they increase their dosage
- or go on binges to maintain their high
7. Methamphetamine is a stronger form of
amphetamines
- injection is preferred to snorting
8. Smoking meth has grown in popularity
- crystals of meth (ice) are placed into a glass
bowl of a pipe
- heated from bottom / the vapors are inhaled
Amphetamines, cont
9. Taken like this, the effects are felt in a few
seconds
- it increases the activity of the sympathetic
nervous system
10.Physiological effects
- similar to people who are emotionally
aroused
- increased respiration and perspiration /
higher blood pressure / increase in body
temperature
11. Amphetamines are absorbed by the blood and
distributed rapidly
Amphetamines, cont
- it stimulates the neurotransmitters:
- norepinephrine: user feels more alert
- dopamine: becomes euphoric / more active
12.Snorting: effects occur within 10 to 15
minutes
- last up to 5 or 6 hours
13. Removal from the body (2 ways)
- excreted through the urine after being
metabolized by liver enzymes
- deactivated by the kidneys by adding
molecules to the amphetamine compound
Amphetamine Trade
1. Japan and Sweden have had far more abuse
problems than the United States
- they banned its use, and now deal with the
illicit drug trade
- Poland is one of the largest producers for
the European market
2. Into the 1930s, one could legally obtain the
drugs in the United States
- they were used mainly by truck drivers and
college students
- truck stops served as distribution centers
Amphetamine trade, cont
3. They were also easily obtained by prescription
- used to treat depression or obesity
- hospitals administered amphetamines to
people who overdosed on sleeping pills
4. Because of this indiscriminate prescribing
- the federal government imposed regulations
in 1965 to limit their use
- in the 1970s they represented 8% of all
prescriptions
Consequences of amphetamine
use
1. Like cocaine, amphetamine use does not
produce classic withdrawal symptoms
- but those who are dependent experience a
type of withdrawal
2. With several days of moderate to heavy use,
individuals “crash”
- this is marked by symptoms opposite the
effects of amphetamines, such as lethargy /
exhaustion / depression / and hunger
Consequences, cont
3. Symptoms of withdrawal are undeniable, but
not life threatening
- within hours after one stops taking large
doses
- energy levels decline / mood is altered / and
sleep may follow for up to 24 hours
- upon waking, the user feels depressed
4. Stimulants can improve mental and physical
performance
- with simple tasks they are effective
- complex tasks, they are counterproductive
Consequences, cont
5. “Speed kills” was a popular slogan in the
1960s
- it alluded to the consequences of taking
amphetamines
- a user can die from their risk-taking behavior
6. An example is an unhealthy life style
- one’s nutrition and health are neglected
- few people die as a result
- but it can cause an irregular heartbeat /
stoppage of the heart / or a stroke
Methamphetamine
1. After WWII, meth (speed) began to be widely
abused in the United States
- today, over 20 million people have used
meth at least once
- it has been placed in Schedule 2 of the
Uniform
Controlled Substances Act
2. It is a more potent version of amphetamine
used to treat narcolepsy / Parkinson’s / and to
suppress appetite
- it is a powerful and addictive stimulate drug
- it activates certain systems in the brain that
are much greater than amphetamines
Meth, cont
3. It is more likely to be used for nonmedical
purposes
- such as ‘speed freaks’ going on binges
- shooting up every few hours over a 5 or 6
day period before crashing
- this is followed by sleep, which can last
anywhere from 12 hours to 4 days
4. Between 2002 and 2005, there were over
3,000 deaths from meth use
- last year, more than 10,000 people went to
emergency rooms as a result of meth use
Meth, cont
3. Meth ranks 4th among drugs causing death
- coming behind nicotine / alcohol / and
heroin
- it is believed that it will soon pass heroin
- most deaths and ER visits occur in the west
4. Besides clandestine labs in the United States
- Mexico has become the major producer
- DEA allocates $24 million for the trafficking
/ production / and abuse of meth
- the low cost of production contributes to its
rapid growth
Meth, cont
- along with a high that can last up to 14 hrs
5. Adverse effects:
- slurred speech / loss of appetite / excitement /
euphoria
- increased blood pressure and heart rate /
chest pain / hot flashes
- paranoia / hallucinations / and death
6. In the late 1970s, ice entered the drug scene
- named for its crystal form (crystal meth)
- swallowed: speed / crystal (Yaba – pill form)
- injected: crank
- smoked: ice / glass