Amphetamines
Slang
Wizz (or whizz), speed, sulp, sulphate, uppers, amphetamine sulphate, phet, billy, sulph, paste, meth, methamphetamine, dexamphetamine, dexies, dexedrine.
Description
A stimulant drug. A white, off-white or pinkish powder that is generally sniffed up the nose or injected. Sometimes in tablet form, and sometimes in crystal form.
Costs
About £8 - 10 per wrap.
Paraphernalia / what to look out for
- Folder wraps of paper oblong in shape and a bit bigger than a postage stamp, possibly with amphetamine residue (usually white powder) on it.
- Tablets, powders, needles and syringes.
Short-term indicators
- The user's breathing and heart rate speeds up, their pupils widen, and appetite lessens.
- Helps concentration for a short while, may give the user confidence and energy; may make them talkative, grind their teeth; and will keep them alert and awake. The effects of a single average dose last about three to four hours. It can cause heart palpitations, make the user go to the toilet a lot, and feel anxious and edgy.
- During a comedown, users can feel tired and yet unable to sleep.
- Users can also feel hungry, aggressive, perhaps with mood swings.
Possible longer-term indicators
- Loss of appetite for food.
- The user can experience sever mood swings, becoming very anxious, jumpy and even depressed to overly excited or hysterical
- Users also report teeth problems - a result of the regular grinding associated with longer-term use.
Harm reduction
- Avoid taking with other stimulants.
- Avoid taking speed if anti-depressants are also being taken; the combination with some types has killed some speed users by sending their blood pressure up very high.
- Avoid taking speed in pregnancy - medical research suggests that amphetamines can damage an unborn baby.
- Avoid keeping on taking speed to put off the come down - there has to be a come down at some time and the longer it is left, the worse it will be.
- Avoid injecting speed - speed is often cut with stuff like flour, chalk or paracetamol, which can clot the blood and cause a lot of damage.
- Avoid increasing the amount of speed taken - if more is needed to get the same effect, take a break from it until it is possible to get back to the first effect from the original amount.
- Make sure plenty of rest and food is taken after a session on speed. A sensible dose of vitamins and calcium (taken orally - not injected) may help too.
Legal status
Class B (but Class A if prepared for injection).