Sections
Epidemiology | Intoxication | Withdrawal | Treatment | Medical Complications
Excerpt
The category of stimulants includes cocaine, amphetamine, and
amphetamine-like substances. According to the National Survey on
Drug Use and Health there were an estimated 1 million new cocaine
users in 2004, and about 1% of the U.S. population ages
12 years or older had used cocaine within the past 30 days (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2005). Amphetamine-type
substances come in several different forms. Powdered methamphetamine
hydrochloride ("speed," "meth," or "crank")
can be snorted, injected, or dissolved in beverages. Pills can be prescription
medications such as dexamphetamine or clandestinely manufactured
tablets of powdered methamphetamine. Freebase methamphetamine (sometimes
called "ice") can be vaporized in a pipe or on
aluminum foil and insufflated (smoked), producing as rapid a high
as with injection but without having to use needles (Maxwell 2005). The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated
that 30 million people worldwide are using amphetamine-type stimulants,
primarily methamphetamine, compared with an estimated 15 million
people who use opioids and 13 million who use cocaine (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime 2004). The geographical
spread of methamphetamine use is being seen in both rural and urban
settings. Alarmingly, although the total number of past-year and
past-month methamphetamine users did not change significantly between
2002 and 2004, the number of past-month methamphetamine users who
met criteria for abuse or dependence increased
from 27.5% in 2002 to 59.3% in 2004 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2005).