Their effects usually last for several hours and include stimulation of the
central nervous system, a sense of well-being and higher energy, a release of
social inhibitions, and feelings of cleverness, competence and power. Effects
are very much like an adrenalin rush, with breathing and heart rate increasing.
The appetite is also suppressed, the body's temperature increases, the pupils
become dilated, and there is an increased risk of dehydration.
They have been used as medicines for instance for treating Attention-Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy. They have also been used as
performance-enhancing drug, for instance by athletes, pilots, and truck drivers.
They have a bitter taste and usually come as a white, greyish white, pale pink
or yellow powder, and sometimes as a brightly coloured tablet.
Amphetamines can be snorted, swallowed, injected, dissolved in a drink or
smoked.
Effects of prolonged use of amphetamines include sleep disturbances, anxiety,
decreased appetite; changes in dopamine brain receptors, changes in metabolism
in some parts of the body, reduction of mental capacity, and deterioration of
movement.
