Party Drugs - Speed (Amphetamine)
Speed is a street term or slang term for amphetamines. These are man
made drugs that are usually in the form of a yellow, white or pale pink
powder. Speed has a taste that has been described as bitter in flavor.
Sometimes Speed comes in a tablet form instead of a powder. Users of
Speed either swallow, snort, inject, or dissolve them in a drink. Other
people smoke Speed.
Amphetamines can be produced in a liquid form and the user will
inject it. Speed is the most common form of amphetamines. The purity is
usually very low at around 5%. The rest of the drug is made up of other
ingredients such as toilet cleaner and talcum powder. In the UK, Speed
is reported to be one of the most impure drugs around. In the 1930's
Amphetamines were produced as a cold treatment and also treatment for
the flu and hay fever.
Amphetamine drugs like Speed are sold similar to
cocaine in
appearance. They are sold in wraps usually. Sometimes the substance
looks similar to crystals that are small in size. Base speed is more
pure and has more of a consistency like putty. There are prescription
amphetamines that are actually small pills that are usually white in
color.
Users of Speed usually either put the drug onto their gums or it is
sniffed like cocaine. At times, the Speed will be rolled into paper and
then swallowed. The term for this is a Speed Bomb. This can be injected
or mixed into drinks. Usually in about 30 minutes after the drug is
taken, the effects will start. If it is ingested or smoked, the effects
will happen much quicker. The high can last up to 6 hours. The amount of
time it lasts depends on the speed's quality. The come down process
happens slowly.
Over time the user of Speed begins to develop a tolerance for the
drug and that means larger doses have to be used to get the same high.
Some of the risks involved with Speed include hallucinations, paranoia,
risk of infections like HIB and hepatitis. Some have reported that they
become depressed and tired for days at a time. If large doses are taken
over a period time, this can lead to panic attacks and can cause a lot
of strain on the heart. |
