Speed

What is speed?

Amphetamine is a stimulant. Other names are speed, whizz, phet or pep. Amphetamine is almost always available as a powder, but also exists as a pill.

There are various types of amphetamines. This information is about the type of amphetamine that is called “speed” as well. That’s the type we mainly come across in the Dutch party scene. It is not about methamphetamine.

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Effects

Amphetamine is a stimulant. The effect of a substance is determined by the properties of the substance itself, but also by the set and setting of the user. Here we describe the effects of amphetamine in general.

Amphetamine increases your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. Your pupils get bigger, and you get a dry mouth because your body produces less saliva. You have to urinate more often, you sweat more and you have stiff jaws due to increased muscle tension. Breathing is easier because your bronchi (airways) expand. Hunger and tiredness disappear like snow in the sun. You feel cheerful and full of energy, you feel like talking a lot and quickly, you are alert and you can dance all night long. You have more stamina and muscle strength. Some users become more confident. Others feel restless, anxious, paranoia, irritable, or aggressive. also typical are repetitive movements and the moving and putting back of objects.

After amphetamine wears off, tiredness sets in and users experience a hangover. An annoying side effect is that it is difficult to fall asleep after using amphetamine. Amphetamine depletes the energy stores in your body. The days after amphetamine use you can therefore be tired. Some people feel depressed for a few days. The hangover after amphetamine gets worse if you don’t eat enough before, during and after use.

Positive effects	(negative) Side effects
Energetic feeling You have feelings of being energized. Sitting still is sometimes more difficult and this energetic feeling is often expressed through the urge to dance or move.	Increase in blood pressure and heart rate Due to increased cardiac stimulation, heart rate and blood pressure rise.
Alertness This drug can make you more active than usual. You are feeling sharp, awkae and it is easy to focus your attention on the things that are happening around you.	Increased body temperature Stimulants cause increased activity in muscles, and increase the “base temperature” of the body. This causes the body temperature to increase.
Increase in self-confidence You feel more confident. It may be easier to ignore the opinions of others, and you will feel less self-conscious about yourself and your own actions.	Jaw clenching Increased muscle tension can cause the jaws to clench together. As a result, the teeth are firmly pressed together and it is possible to bite your tongue and/or cheeks.
Need for contact, conversation and intimacy Having a good conversation with someone, or cuddling, can be very pleasant and interesting.	Insomnia Some drugs keep you from falling asleep. Stimulants often have this effect, but even after using psychedelics or downers, sleep is disrupted and it is possible that you can’t sleep.
(Nederlands) Verandering in tijdsperceptie The passage of time could feel altered during drug use. Some parts of the evening fly by, while some parts feel a lot slower. When you are feeling comfortable, it can be nice that the feeling does not seem to stop. But if you feel uncomfortable, this can be a bothersome experience. So this effect can work both ways.	Decreased appetite Stimulation of the fight-or-flight response in the body can suppress appetite.
Mood swings Using this drug may cause mood swings in users. These mood changes may be either positive or negative, and often alternate between extremes.	Confusion and restlessness Confusion and restlessness
Increased libido Increased sexual desires. You feel more attracted to others and feel a stronger need for sexual intimacy.	Irritable You are easily irritated or agitated.
Accelerated thoughts Thinking seems to go faster. It’s also easier to think clearly. You can go through certain steps in your head faster and make choices faster.	Pressure on the chest / heart palpitations Pressure on the chest / heart palpitations
	Nausea/vomiting An uneasy and tense feeling in the abdomen, which may cause discomfort. Nausea often precedes vomiting.
	Dizziness The feeling that someone is spinning, or that the world is spinning around someone. This impairs balance.
	Head ache Head ache
	Increased sweating In response to the increased stimulation and changes in body temperature, the skin will start to secrete sweat to cool the body temperature back to normal levels.
	Dilated pupils Due to an increased noradrenaline level in the body after taking certain drugs, the pupils become larger. The pupil size is influenced by many different processes. Increase in noradrenaline plays a role in some of those processes.
	Dry mouth Stimulation of sympathetic pathways decrease saliva production, this causes the mouth to feel dry.
	Erection problems Problems getting an erection.
	Hallucinations In hallucinations you perceive things that are not there. It really is an observation that seems to be real. For example, you may hear sounds (auditory hallucinations) or see something or someone (visual hallucination). This is in contrast to a change in sensory perception where normal perception is distorted. Think of a person’s voice that sounds higher or lower or a face that seems to have a big nose. Hallucinations can be both desirable effects (with psychedelics) and unwanted side effects (with high doses of MDMA, or with being awake for too long).

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Dose and route of administration

Amphetamine can be snorted (nasally), swallowed (orally), injected (intravenously), or plugged (anally).

Snoring is most common. Swallowing speed can be done by dissolving a little powder in a drink or by putting the powder in a rolling paper (bomb) or capsule.

The strength of speed can be very different. It is often cut with caffeine. This makes it difficult to determine a dosage. You can already feel the effect with a very small dose (a tip of your key). To find out how pure your amphetamine is, you can have it tested anonymously.

Snorting dose
Low	5 – 15 mg
Medium	15 – 40 mg
Strong	40+ mg

Oral dose
Low	5 – 30 mg
Medium	30 – 80 mg
Strong	80+ mg

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Risks

Risico’s op korte termijn

Risico’s op lange termijn

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Interactions

Combining different types of drugs can be risky and unpredictable. When you combine drugs you can have a higher risk of health problems. In the following paragraphs you can read about the effects and the risks of a number of combinations that occur frequently and also a about few that are extra hazardous. Also check our theme combining drugs.

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Unity tips

You can never be 100% safe when using amphetamine. The risks can be limited, however, so please read our Unity tips:

• Use only when you feel well, both physically and mentally
• Do not use to eliminate the unpleasant effects of last use (like exhaustion or depression). This can easily lead to addiction.
• Rest well before and after using amphetamine
• Eat healthy before and after amphetamine use. Especially foods like nuts and peanuts, and foods containing a lot of vitamins (oranges, kiwi, broccoli). It is difficult to eat during and after amphetamine use, but try it anyway. Good food clearly reduces the hangover! If you can; eat a salty cookie or some salty chips. If you cannot eat solid food, think about juices, breakfast drinks, smoothies. You can take extra vitamins and anti-oxidants before and after amphetamine use
• Make sure you do not get too hot during amphetamine use: rest every now and then, do not wear warm clothing, no headgear, and drink water or soft drinks
• Drink adequately but no more than two glasses of water per hour, otherwise the risk of water intoxication increases
• If you have snorted amphetamine, it is best to clean your nose before you go to sleep. You can do this with a moist cotton swab to remove the remains that are still in your nose, or with a nose spray containing water and salt or by cleaning your nose with your fingers in the shower.
• Swallowing is more preferable than snorting because snorting can cause damage to the nasal mucosa and you have a higher risk of getting addicted
• Preferably don’t inject amphetamine (increased risk of addiction)
• Do not use it when you suffer from diabetes, a weak heart, high blood pressure, epilepsy and mental problems and do not use it in combination with medications
• Do not combine it with alcohol or other drugs
• Do not participate in traffic
• Amphetamine can make your mouth dry, and combined with teeth grinding this increases the risk of damage to your teeth. It is important to stimulate your saliva production. This can be done by chewing on sugarless gum, for example. You can also buy saliva substitutes or artificial saliva (like Saliva Orthana, Xialine and Oral Balance) without prescription.
• Provide a personal snorter and do not share it with others
• Are you on the pill? Take it a few hours before you use amphetamine
• Do you not feel well, or does any of your friends? Keep an eye on each other, take care of each other and visit the first aid
• Have your amphetamine tested!

Do you want more information about amphetamine, do you have any questions or do you want to talk to someone about your amphetamine use? Click here for our contact details in your area or e-mail us via info@unity.nl

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FAQ

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