Amphetamines

Amphetamine Abuse

Given their high abuse potential, amphetamines as a group have been under close scrutiny by drug enforcement agencies. Between 1971 and 1995, the number of amphetamine-type stimulants under international control has increased nearly fivefold. Although more than 19 million prescriptions for amphetamines were filled in 2000, nonprescribed abuse has emerged as a significant problem. Of all prescription drugs of abuse, the unauthorized use of amphetamines ranks in the top three (in addition to opioids and central nervous system (CNS) depressants). Based on Monitoring The Future data, between 2001 and 2009, annual amphetamine use among 12th graders decreased from 10.9 percent to 6.6 percent, methamphetamine use decreased from 3.9 percent to 1.2 percent, and crystal methamphetamine (ice) decreased from 2.5 percent to 0.9 percent. A recent study revealed that nearly 34 percent of patients treated for ADHD have been asked to sell or trade their medication.

Phentermine, shown above, is in the amphetamine and phenethylamine class of drugs and is used to inhibit appetite.

It is important to note that while some critics of amphetamines in general suggest that access to these medications will lead to an increase in illicit substance use over a person's lifetime, studies to date suggest otherwise. In fact, children treated with psychostimulants are less likely as adults to abuse substances. It is hypothesized that many illicit users of either amphetamines or methamphetamines are, in fact, “self-medicating.”

Known colloquially as “performance enhancers,” amphetamines have become increasingly popular among college students trying to improve their academic abilities. Some of these medications are obtained illegally, but feigned symptoms may also result in obtaining a legitimate prescription. To combat this, stringent diagnostic criteria have been established, with evidence of ADHD having to be present before age 7. Indeed, some institutions prescribing psychostimulants for ADHD require a thorough review of early childhood school records before arriving at the diagnosis of ADHD and subsequently prescribing stimulants.

Methamphetamine Abuse and Control

More common than prescription amphetamine abuse is the use of amphetamine-like substances and, more specifically, methamphetamine. Illicit use of methamphetamine has been estimated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at a 4 percent lifetime prevalence. As of 2005, lifetime prevalence was found to vary significantly by ethnic group: use is highest amongst Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (2.2 percent), followed by Native Americans (1.7 percent) and people who identify themselves as multiracial (1.9 percent). Rates are lower among Caucasians (0.7 percent), Hispanics (0.5 percent), Asians (0.2 percent), and African Americans (0.1 percent). The preponderance [Page 23]of methamphetamine use is found in rural or, in the gay and bisexual community, urban communities in the western and southwestern United States. However, this trend appears to be generalizing to all of the United States. As methamphetamine use spreads, smaller-scale home production is first observed, followed by professional trafficking to meet supply demands.

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