Amphetamines: Fast Facts, Hazards, and Health Impacts

Clinically Reviewed by Matt Hawk ICAADC, CACII, Written by Karen Hadley

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What Is An Amphetamine?

Amphetamine is a strong stimulant drug that has both medical and illegal uses. Doctors may prescribe this drug to a person who has abnormal difficulty staying awake during the day. When used, it gives a person an artificial burst of energy which results in increased pulse and blood pressure. Even when being used legally amphetamines can have negative consequences.

Individuals who feel they lack the energy or alertness to perform like they want in either work or play situations find the drug attractive as it can give a temporary boost of energy. However, the drug can have many side effects and can be addictive.

Its ability to provide a quick boost of energy makes this drug popular with long-distance drivers and those who want to party in nightclubs all night.1 It is also used by terrorist organizations to induce vigilance and loyalty in its members and to fund their activities.

Signs of Amphetamine Use

• Rapid heart rate
• Increased blood pressure
• Extended alertness
• Lack of hunger
• False sense of well-being
• Euphoria
• Sleeplessness
• Hyperactivity
• Restlessness
• Twitching of face or body

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Adverse Side Effects

• Increased body temperature (can be fatal)
• Irritability
• Aggression
• Anger
• Sweating
• Tightness of jaw muscles

After extended use of amphetamine or methamphetamine, these symptoms may show up:

• Exhaustion
• Physical deterioration
• Tooth loss
• Heart damage
• Sadness
• Paranoia
• Mania
• Addiction
• Anxiety
• Psychosis
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Violence

The psychosis that can be caused by amphetamine use can extend past the use of the drug. High doses can result in stroke, coma, high fever, convulsions and cardiovascular collapse. It is possible to fatally overdose on either amphetamine or methamphetamine.

Withdrawal from these drugs can result in severe fatigue, mood disturbances, low motivation, difficulty concentrating or sleeping, depression, increased appetite and suicidal thoughts.

Multiple Forms of Amphetamines

There are several forms of this drug being trafficked. They are all chemically similar and not very complicated to synthesize if the necessary chemicals can be obtained.

• Amfetamine
• Dexamfetamine
• Levamphetamine
• 1-phenyl-2-aminopropane
• Phenyliospropylamine
• Methamphetamine
• Benzphetamine

Amphetamine Use Worldwide

In the United States and Southeast Asia, methamphetamine abuse is currently more prevalent. Amphetamine was a popular drug of abuse in the U.S. in the 1960s and 1970s but then fell from favor. Currently, amphetamines are a far more popular drug of abuse outside the U.S.

At this time, world estimates for abuse of this class of drug vary wildly. The UN can zero in on the number of users no closer than to say that they number between 13.7 million and 52.9 million per year (ages 15-64). Other countries have followed the lead of the United States by restricting the sale of pseudoephedrine-containing cold medication, particularly the UK and Czechoslovakia, in an attempt to curtail methamphetamine production.

As labs to produce synthetics like amphetamines can be established almost anywhere, there is no need for long trafficking routes as is the case with cocaine and heroin. In most areas, seizures of amphetamine tend to be lower than they might otherwise be, as the product can be manufactured close to market, meaning there is less time and opportunity to seize the illicit cargo. Seizures of precursor chemicals, which may have a long trip to the manufacturing site, are more likely to occur.

Amphetamine Abuse in Europe and Asia

In 2008, more than 80 percent of all the amphetamine production facilities that were seized were found in Europe. Still, far more tonnage of amphetamines was found in western Asia (14 tons compared to Europe’s 8 tons). Most of Asia’s amphetamines were in the form of tablets referred to as Captagon (the brand name of a discontinued prescription drug). Captagon contains between one percent and 16 percent amphetamine and is involved in increasing need for treatment of amphetamine addiction in the Near and Middle East. But not a single amphetamine-production lab was found in the Near and Middle East countries. Far more sophisticated labs are required to synthesize amphetamine than methamphetamine.

In stark comparison to amphetamine use in Europe, Asia was estimated to have between 4.4 and 37.9 million abusers of this class of drug. Increases were reported by 13 out of the 29 countries that are members of the UN, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Mongolia, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In East and Southeast Asian countries, the Philippines, Thailand and Laos have the highest rates of abuse of amphetamines.

Measuring Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Use

For the last several years, a group of scientists has been sampling wastewater in many cities across Europe. By measuring the volume of drug residues in the water and comparing it to the population served by that waste system, the group can calculate how much drug use exists in each city. Wastewater analysis provides an objective measure of drug use that interviews and surveys will never provide.

The variance between cities was startling. These numbers represent the number of milligrams of amphetamine that would have to be consumed per 1,000 people in that city to result in the wastewater measurements the group recorded.

• Stockholm, Sweden: 447 mg
• Saarbrucken, Germany: 341mg
• Antwerp Zuid, Belgium: 302 mg
• Helsinki, Finland: 202 mg
• Amsterdam, Netherlands: 164 mg
• Oslo, Norway: 159 mg
• Uppsala, Sweden: 115 mg
• Copenhagen, Denmark: 74 mg
• Zurich, Switzerland: 58 mg
• Dresden, Germany: 35 mg
• Barcelona, Spain: 32 mg
• Braz, Austria: 27 mg
• Valencia, Spain: 11 mg
• Milan, Italy: 4 mg
• Lisbon, Portugal: 3 mg
• Madrid, Spain: 0 mg
• Paris, France: 0 mg

For some cities like Stockholm, Antwerp and Helsinki, these numbers are almost twice as high as they were in 2015. Barcelona’s and Lisbon’s numbers were much the same.

Oslo also has the highest methamphetamine readings (237 mg), with Dresden in second place (133 mg).

Seizures of these Drugs

According to the European Center on Drugs and Drug Addiction, amphetamine is the second most-often seized drug in Norway, and the third most-seized drug in Finland, Germany and Sweden. It is less common in France, Luxembourg, and Italy.

Captagon

Between 1970 and 1990, a prescription drug called Captagon was distributed widely, especially in Germany, Spain and Switzerland. The pills contained a stimulant called fenetylline. Manufacture was mostly discontinued in 1990, and much of the remaining stock was destroyed.

In 1992, manufacture of counterfeit Captagon pills began, eventually spreading to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon. These pills usually contained amphetamine plus caffeine, quinine and other ingredients. Trafficking of these pills was limited to the Middle East for a while. Then law enforcement agencies in Eastern Europe began seizing the drug. Finally, in 2020, amphetamine in the form of fake Captagon pills was seized in Italy—14 tonnes valued at $1 billion. This shipment was thought to have been manufactured in Syria.

Recovering from Amphetamine Addiction

It takes a thorough rehabilitation program to help a person recover from amphetamine or methamphetamine addiction because of the strong cravings that are part of these addictions. The best type of rehabilitation program for stimulant addiction is residential rehab, where the person can find the support they need, day or night.

A long-term rehab is a better choice than a short-term program. It can take time for a person’s central nervous system to recover from the disturbances created by these drugs. Those who have become addicted to stimulants like amphetamine or methamphetamine also need support while they detoxify from the strong chemicals used to create the drug.

A person who was once addicted to amphetamine can complete a good-quality rehab program in good condition and go on to live a productive, sober life. No matter how much this person might claim, while they are severely addicted, that they want to be left alone, they would be much happier and healthier after completing rehabilitation.