Up-to-Date Information on AMT

AMT is the common abbreviation for alpha-methyltryptamine, an illegal hallucinogen chemically related to other hallucinogens such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. In certain respects, the drug produces effects similar to MDMA (Ecstasy), and illicit drug manufacturers sometimes use AMT as an MDMA substitute. AMT is not very widely distributed, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration; however, its position as a potential MDMA substitute makes it a prominent target for ongoing monitoring. Many people who use AMT combine it with a second hallucinogen, commonly known by the street name Foxy Methoxy.

Background Information

AMT was first developed by legitimate drug manufacturers roughly 50 years ago as a potential treatment for certain forms of medically serious depression. However, medical development of the drug ceased when researchers concluded that it was unreliably toxic and could produce hallucinations and other harmful side effects normally associated with a severely disordered mental state called psychosis. Modern-day, illegal use of AMT first started in the late 1990’s when illicit drug manufacturers began seeking alternatives for increasingly scrutinized MDMA. Like MDMA, most modern use of the drug occurs among teenagers and young adults who go to clubs or attend clandestine parties once commonly known as “raves.” Since AMT is officially prohibited by federal law, any and all use of the drug qualifies as criminal drug abuse.

Drug Effects

Like LSD, psilocybin, and Foxy Methoxy (known chemically as 5-methoxy-N, N-diisopropyltryptamine), AMT belongs to a class of substances called tryptamines. Inside the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), these substances alter normal processing of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, three chemicals that act as neurotransmitters by relaying certain types of signals between nerve cells called neurons. In turn, these alterations produce primary perceptual effects that include auditory (sound-related) hallucinations, visual hallucinations and tactile (touch-related) hallucinations, as well as a number of secondary effects within various parts of the body.

In the case of AMT, secondary effects of drug use may include stomach distress, unusual energy surges associated with restlessness, abnormally high muscle tension, abnormally high levels of mental tension, insomnia, irritability, nausea, vomiting and a general feeling of unease. In addition, the drug can trigger pupil dilation (widening), significant blood pressure increases, an acceleration of the normal heartbeat, loss of normal muscle coordination and unusual changes in the tendon reflexes needed for coordinated body movement. Specific effects of AMT depend heavily on the amount of the drug used, the University of Maryland’s Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) reports.

Typically, doses of AMT range anywhere from roughly 15 to 40 milligrams. Commonly available forms of the drug include tablets, capsules, and loose powders; while most users take these substances orally, some users inhale them nasally or smoke them. Unlike some hallucinogens, it takes quite a while for orally ingested AMT to produce its effects, and most people remain unaffected for a period of approximately three or four hours. Once the effects of the drug kick in, they can last for an extraordinarily long time. While most people experience hallucinations and unusual increases in their energy levels for anywhere from half a day to 24 hours, some people continue to feel prominent effects of the drug for as long as a full 48 hours.

Potential Risks

Like MDMA, the hallucinatory and stimulating effects of AMT can produce profound levels of mental and physical disorientation, as well as a marked reduction in the user’s normal levels of personal and social inhibition. Hallucinations associated with the drug are sometimes severe, and its long-acting nature means that unpleasant hallucinations can potentially remain prominent for a day or longer. In some cases, the presence of sustained hallucinations may contribute to serious changes in ongoing mental health, particularly in people with known or unknown susceptibilities to mental illness. Lowered inhibitions associated with the use of AMT can potentially contribute to uncharacteristic risk-taking and increased chances for involvement in accidents or unprotected sexual activity.

In a relatively small number of cases, use of AMT has resulted in the onset of a drug overdose; in an even smaller number of documented cases, AMT-related overdoses have resulted in death. In all likelihood, overdose is related to the drug’s ability to alter norepinephrine levels in the body and produce unusual amounts of stress in the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels). Overdose risks may be especially prominent in people who combine AMT with Foxy Methoxy, a potent hallucinogen that comes with its own set of overdose-related risks.