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THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF AMPHETAMINES
AKA: speed, whizz, meth, crystal, sulphate, glass, ice.
Price: amphetamine sulphate ?10-?20 a gramme in America, very rarely
available in this country.
Form: The main type of street amphetamine is amphetamine sulphate, a
whitish powder (it occasionally has traces of grey or pink) that is usually
snorted through a tube or injected but can be swallowed (wrapped in a
cigarette paper or mixed in a drink) or mixed with tobacco and smoked. Far
less common in this country but booming in the states, particularly on the
West Coast, is methedrine, a stronger, white powder, with more crystalline
appearance that can be snorted, injected or smoked mixed with tobacco or
pure in glass pipes - 'sucking the dick'. Ice is powdered methedrine
converted into solid crystals which are the smoked.
Duration of high: up to six hours, depending on method of taking and
strength.
Legal status: Class B unless in injectable form, for example methedrine
capsules, in which case, Class A
History: amphetmines were discovered by a German chemist in 1887 but were
first used in the '20s as nasal decongestants. In the '30s, they were
introduced in pill and inhaler form in the US and people soon started
taking them recreationally. Doctors continued to prescribe the drug freely
in succeeding decades to treat everything from depression to weight gain,
and recreational use boomed with amphetamines like Drinamyl (purple hearts
and blues), Dexedrine (dexies) , and Durophet (black bombers) flooding the
illicit market. In 1964, following a press outcry, the unlawful possession
of amphetamines was made an offence. Since the 70's. amphetamines have been
prescribed by doctors far less frequently and street amphetamines are now
rarely pharmaceutical, manufactured instead by amateurs in hideaway labs.
Highs: Amphetamines elevate mood, heighten endurance (including sexual
stamina) and eliminate the need for sleep. Often known as poor man's
cocaine, they are one of the cheapest kicks available. As they are only a
Class B drug (unless in injectable form) penalties for being found in
possession are far less serious than with cocaine.
Lows: even in small amounts, amphetamines increase pulse rate and blood
pressure and can cause extreme anxiety, irritability, restlessness,
impotence, and occasionally, delirium, panic, hallucinations and feelings
of persecution (amphetamine psychosis). Through a single dose will usually
last between three and four hours, users may be left feeling drained, tired
and depressed for as long as two days as the 'come down'. Long-term effects
include tolerance (users are forced to increase their dose), at which point
side-effects are more common. These may persist, sometimes for months,
after drug-taking has stopped. Though most people who take amphetamines
don't experience any serious physical repercussions unless they are unlucky
and buy some that is either unusually pure or cut with something toxic,
overdose is an occasional possibility. Signs of overdose include extreme
over stimulation, racing pulse or palpitations, sever chest pains,
difficulty breathing, shaking, sweating, muscle spasms and general
stiffness. If these symptoms occur, medical treatment may be necessary.
Very occasionally, amphetamines have caused heart failure.
Tips: if amphetamines do make you feel anxious or over.stimulated, don't
take more. Try and stay calm and quiet and if you have a mild sedative in
the house, a small amount will take the edge off. Amphetamine sulphate is
very easy to make (the base chemical needed can be found in industrial
cleaning agents) and, of all the drugs, is likely to be the most impure,
generally containing only between 5 and 10 percent of the drug itself. For
the most part, it is cut with fairly innocuous substances but occasionally
something more toxic may be present so where possible, buy the drug from
someone you know, preferably someone you know who has taken some of the
same batch themselves. If injecting never share needles because of the risk
of AIDS. All stimulants should be avoided by those with heart or blood
pressure problems.
From the magazine TimeOut No. 1239 May 18-25 1994
Typed by Dr. Benway