There
are over 200 kinds, and they’re all made in a laboratory. Amphetamines bought
on the street are usually less than 10% amphetamine – the rest is stuff like
caffeine, baking soda, sugar as well as de-worming powder and other yucky stuff.
It normally comes as a white powder, in tablets or in capsules and you can sniff
it, swallow it, smoke it or inject it. Most people just eat it or stir it into a
hot drink.
There are different sorts of speed but they are related to
adrenaline, the natural body chemical that gives you energy.
There’s also a stronger, nastier sort called Methamphetamine, which often comes as crystals to be smoked (‘Crystal Meth’, ‘Ice’, ‘Glass’).
Most amphetamines are Class B drugs. If you are caught using amphetamines you can get a maximum of 5 years in prison and/or a heavy fine. If you caught supplying other people with the drug then you can get an unlimited fine for supplying and up to 14 years in prison.
Hitler is said to have been injecting speed every day at the end of World War 2. The US Army fed speed to its soldiers in Vietnam. (Both were losers.)
Amphetamines were discovered by scientists looking for a cure for asthma.
