The more we know about how a specific drug affects the brain and body, the more specialized can be the treatment and intervention when a person becomes addicted to that drug. While it is helpful to understand drug classifications and generalized side-effects, it’s potentially even more useful to tag specific outcomes to specific drugs.

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Cannabis, the plant behind the drug marijuana, has been used by humans for thousands of years and for many different purposes. For its psychoactive properties, it has been used for religious and spiritual ceremonies and for recreation. The seeds have long been used as a nutritious food and the fibers make strong textiles, called hemp. In more recent history, researchers have also discovered that some of the compounds in the cannabis plant have important medicinal properties and some states are now allowing use of the previously illegal drug in medical ways.

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It seems as if there is always something new in the world of drugs and other illegal substances. Black tar heroin is not exactly new, but its use is on the rise. The quick but short-lived high that users get from black tar heroin is tempting for many addicts and makes for an extremely addictive and dangerous drug that is readily found across the U.S. Sometimes called Mexican black tar, muck, or just ‘brown’, this alternative form of purer heroin is even more dangerous than the original. The rise in consumption of black tar heroin has law enforcement, policy makers, and addiction professionals and caregivers very concerned.

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Amphetamine and methamphetamine are both psychoactive drugs in the subcategory known as psycho stimulants. They are chemically similar, and have similar effects on the brain. However, the small differences that exist between the two drugs give them a very different character in the world of drug use and abuse. While the psycho stimulant effects of amphetamine can be used medicinally to treat certain conditions, methamphetamine almost always appears in dangerous and illegal form.

Chemical Differences

Amphetamine and methamphetamine are so chemically similar that the difference between them is essentially a matter of intensity. Amphetamine is methylated phenylethylamine, while methamphetamine is double methylated phenylethylamine. When methamphetamine is metabolized in the body, it turns into amphetamine and is excreted as amphetamine. Both drugs cause the brain to be flooded with norepinephrine and dopamine. This can stimulate feelings of euphoria, and increase energy and concentration levels.

The additional “methylation” of methamphetamine means that it acts more strongly and more rapidly in the body. As a result, methamphetamine is considered to be too volatile and dangerous for use as a therapeutic drug. In the past, methamphetamine was used to treat everything from alcoholism to Parkinson’s Disease. Once the true dangers of the drug were recognized, its therapeutic use was discontinued in almost every area. The only place methamphetamine currently appears as a legal drug is in over the counter nasal decongestants that are CSN (central nervous system) inactive.

Legal Amphetamine Use

The qualities of amphetamine have made it a popular drug for various conditions. The drug can be used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, because the stimulant effects allow the brain to concentrate more easily. It is also useful in the treatment of narcolepsy, since it increases alertness and energy. The drug can be found in diet pills, because it also serves as an appetite suppressant.

Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Abuse

The qualities of amphetamine also lend themselves to abuse. Stimulant drugs like amphetamine are at the forefront of the growing problem of prescription drug abuse in the United States and other countries. Academia is one area where illicit stimulant use is ever more popular, as students look to increase their academic performance in competitive and high-pressure environments. Amphetamine is also popular among athletes who rely on their performance for their livelihood.

Methamphetamine is a popular drug among growing numbers of people due to its fast acting high and accessibility. Methamphetamine is one of the easiest illicit drugs to manufacture, and as a result it is very cheap to purchase. When methamphetamine is sold on the street, it is most commonly referred to as meth, speed, or crank. The term “crystal meth” refers to methamphetamine hydrochloride, which has been processed to take the form of clear crystals that can be smoked.

Both amphetamine and methamphetamine are very addictive, which adds to the risks of using them recreationally. The risk of addiction with amphetamine use is generally negligible when it is used to treat a diagnosed condition under the supervision of a medical professional. However, using amphetamines for non-medical purposes without supervision greatly increases the potential for addiction in addition to presenting other dangers.

Abuse Around the World

According to the World Drug Report, confiscations of amphetamine-type stimulants stayed at roughly the same level in 2010 as in previous years. However, the year marked a significant shift in the amount of amphetamine confiscations vs. methamphetamine confiscations around the world. Amphetamine confiscations dropped by 42 percent to 19 tons. In contrast, global methamphetamine confiscations increased by 44 percent, indicating a significant increase in the production and use of methamphetamine around the world.

Mexico and the United States accounted for the majority of the increase in methamphetamine confiscations, as well as the majority of amphetamine-type stimulant confiscations overall. However, methamphetamine confiscations also increased by a smaller percentage in Europe, indicating that the market is growing elsewhere as well, even if it is at a slower rate.

Proponents of legalizing marijuana claim that the drug is different from other street drugs. One difference claimed by users is that marijuana is not habit-forming in the same way as are alcohol, tobacco or cocaine. Studies do show, however, that marijuana use involves the very same regions of the brain as are stimulated by other addictions. Addictions to substances or behaviors (such as pornography or gambling) all involve habituated triggers to brain activity. It seems reasonable then to assume that if one can prove similar triggers within the brain relating to marijuana use that a case can be made for its addictive quality.

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According to the Director of Health Recovery Services in Ohio, Dr. Joe Gay, we are seeing heroin addicts infiltrate the suburbs now and even hit the rural areas. Just 20 years ago Gay says half of all heroin addicts undergoing treatment just existed in California and New York.

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A group of biochemists in Germany have discovered some mysterious things about the coca plant and how its chemical makeup produces cocaine. Cocaine is chemically related to a bunch of anesthetics and other stimulants that are used each day legally. Understanding just how cocaine is made within the plant itself may just lead to some new types of anesthesia and anesthetic drugs but without the addictive traits.

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Peer pressure is one of the most difficult things about being a teen. The desire and need to fit in with your peers is not just strong, it is built into your DNA. As social creatures, we humans evolved to go along with each other. It benefits us to be similar to others and to be part of the group. Those who stand out may be ridiculed or worse. When we evolved these behaviors, though, life was much simpler. Today, you have to face the pressure to use alcohol or drugs. There is no benefit to going along with this. The positive aspects of being a part of the group are far outweighed by the negative consequences of drug and alcohol use. Substance use and abuse can get you into legal trouble, can affect your health and even your normal growth patterns, and can lead to addiction. Put the brakes on peer pressure and learn to rise above.

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