Commonly Abused Drugs

Prescription Stimulants

Medications that increase alertness, attention, energy, blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate.

Street Names Commercial Names Common Forms Common Ways Taken DEA Schedule
Bennies, Black Beauties, Crosses, Hearts, LA Turnaround, Speed, Truck Drivers, Uppers Amphetamine (Adderall®, Benzedrine®) Tablet, capsule Swallowed, snorted, smoked, injected II
JIF, MPH, R-ball, Skippy, The Smart Drug, Vitamin R Methylphenidate (Concerta®, Ritalin®) Liquid, tablet, chewable tablet, capsule Swallowed, snorted, smoked, injected, chewed II

Possible Health Effects
Short-term Increased alertness, attention, energy; increased blood pressure and heart rate; narrowed blood vessels; increased blood sugar; opened up breathing passages.

High doses: dangerously high body temperature and irregular heartbeat; heart failure; seizures.
Long-term Heart problems, psychosis, anger, paranoia.
Other Health-related Issues Risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles.
In Combination with Alcohol Masks the depressant action of alcohol, increasing risk of alcohol overdose; may increase blood pressure and jitters.
Withdrawal Symptoms Depression, tiredness, sleep problems.
Treatment options
Medications There are no FDA-approved medications to treat stimulant addiction.
Behavioral Therapies Behavioral therapies that have helped treat addiction to cocaine or methamphetamine may be useful in treating prescription stimulant addiction.