Commonly Abused Drugs
Review this page which describes the acute effects and the health risks of both legal and illegal drugs.
Commonly Abused Drugs
Methamphetamine
An extremely addictive stimulant amphetamine drug.
| Street Names | Commercial Names | Common Forms | Common Ways Taken | DEA Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crank, Chalk, Crystal, Fire, Glass, Go Fast, Ice, Meth, Speed | Desoxyn® | White powder or pill; crystal meth looks like pieces of glass or shiny blue-white "rocks" of different sizes | Swallowed, snorted, smoked, injected | II |
| Possible Health Effects | |
|---|---|
| Short-term | Increased wakefulness and physical activity; decreased appetite; increased breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature; irregular heart beat. |
| Long-term | Anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood problems, violent behavior; paranoia, hallucinations, delusions, weight loss, severe dental problems ("meth mouth"), intense itching leading to skin sores from scratching. |
| Other Health-related Issues |
Pregnancy: premature delivery; separation of the placenta from the
uterus; low birth weight; lethargy; heart and brain problems. Risk of HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases from shared needles. |
| In Combination with Alcohol | Masks the depressant effect of alcohol, increasing risk of alcohol overdose; may increase blood pressure and jitters. |
| Withdrawal Symptoms | Depression, anxiety, tiredness. |
| Treatment options | |
| Medications | There are no FDA-approved medications to treat methamphetamine addiction. |
| Behavioral Therapies |
|