drugsandstuff.co.uk if you’d like to organise drug training for your organisation.

Street names

Wizz (or whizz), speed, sulp, sulphate, uppers, amphetamine sulphate, phet, billy, sulph, paste, meth, methamphetamine, dexamphetamine, dexies, dexedrine.

Description

Amphetamines are stimulant drugs. 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. Provides ‘borrowed’ energy.

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).