Scottish Drugs Forum
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| Drug name | Street name |
|---|---|
| Amphetamine Sulphate | Speed, whizz, sulph, crystal |
| Dexies | |
| Methylamphetamine | Meth, ice |
| Ecstasy, E, eccy | |
| Cocaine/cocaine freebase | Coke, crack, rock, freebase, base |
| Catha edulis | Khat, chat, qat |
The amphetamines and cocaine are the most commonly used stimulants. Cocaine is derived from the leaf of the coca plant (Erythroxylum Coca) and amphetamines are manufactured both legally and illegally. The recreational use of ecstasy has become common, particularly among young people involved in the club scene.
Drug effects
Stimulants increase cerebral activity, causing excitement and euphoria. They also dilate pupils, increase heart rate and blood pressure, cause sleeplessness and anorexia (loss of appetite). Cocaine is a powerful local anaesthetic but amphetamines are not. Low to moderate doses of stimulants do not disrupt thinking, but users may experience mood swings. High doses can cause thought disorder, and a drug-induced psychosis resembling paranoid schizophrenia is not uncommon. There may be hallucinations and paranoid thinking.
Dependency
Tolerance develops quickly with amphetamines, provoking massive increases in doses. Tolerance to cocaine tends to be very much less marked, although tolerance to the euphoric effects of freebase has been noted, causing increasing frequency of use. Dependence on stimulants is said to be more psychological than physical, although recent evidence suggests possible long term changes to the nervous system.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal is characterised by hunger, fatigue, periods of fitful sleep, increased dreaming, and depression. In some individuals, depression can be prolonged and severe.
Long term use
Weight loss (due to anorexia), insomnia, exhaustion and mental confusion, severe depression, drug induced psychosis (usually resolved after drug taking is stopped).
Overdose risk
Death from drug overdoses is more common with cocaine than with amphetamines and often results from respiratory failure. Individuals with high blood pressure or a heart condition are at risk when using stimulants because of extra stress on the cardiovascular system.
Risk in pregnancy
Stimulants can cause congenital abnormalities, miscarriage, premature labour and small babies. Drug use should be stopped immediately without any drug substitution because of risk to the baby. Babies born to mothers who continue to take stimulants during pregnancy show a withdrawal syndrome. Withdrawal amongst newborn babies is characterised by shrill crying, irritability, and repeated sneezing.
Legal status - see individual entries