Amphetamine / Methamphetamine

Amphetamines are stimulant drugs which are manufactured from chemicals.

Definition: Amphetamines are stimulant drugs which are manufactured from chemicals. Methamphetamine is one of the groups of amphetamine.

As a stimulant drug, amphetamine/methamphetamine speeds up the body’s functions.

Most commonly, amphetamine/methamphetamine drugs come in three main forms: speed, base and ice (crystal methamphetamine).

Speed generally comes in the form of a white or yellow powder, but can also come in tablet form. It is often ‘cut’ with other substances (which can have harmful effects) to dilute it and make it go further.

Base is an oily or wet substance which ranges in colour from white to yellow or brown. It is less common in Australia.

Ice (crystal methamphetamine) is a purer form of methamphetamine, which generally comes in a colourless or white crystal form, or a rough, crystal-like powder. Ice is claimed to be the most highly addictive form of methamphetamine, largely due to its purity, which causes a more powerful and dangerous effect.

Other nicknames for amphetamine and methamphetamines are listed below.

Speed: go-ee, whiz, uppers. Base: paste, wax. Crystal methamphetamine: ice, glass, crystal, meth, crystal meth, shabu.

Effects:
The list of effects on this website are not definitive or exhaustive.

The short-term/immediate effects amphetamine/methamphetamine can include:

• faster heart rate and breathing
• acting out of character, doing things you might not normally do or may regret
• feeling energetic or alert
• being more talkative than normal
• increased blood pressure
• dilated pupils
• jaw clenching and/or teeth grinding
• excessive sweating
• moving around quicker and more frequently than normal
• taking more risks than usual
• headaches
• restlessness
• dizziness
• increased sex drive
• aggressiveness
• feeling powerful or better than others
• anxiousness
• psychosis
• mental health issues
• overdose
• fever
• heart attack
• bleeding on the brain
• death

The long term effects of amphetamine/methamphetamine can include:

• feeling irritable, anxious and agitated a lot or all of the time
• memory and concentration issues
• mental health issues
• getting sick more often because the immune system is impaired
• psychosis
• weight issues
• nosebleeds or sinus problems from snorting complications from injecting
• dependence