Download Fact Sheet CNS Stimulants

Leslie Clark
Fact Sheet: CNS Stimulants
Defines/describes CNS Stimulants
Drug whose primary effect is to increase one or more of the following CNS functions: vigilance,
attention, motor performance, intellectual activity, etc. CNS stimulants have legitimate therapeutic
applications but many drugs in this class are also frequently used for recreational purposes and are
important drugs of abuse. Stimulants are a class of drugs that elevate mood, increase feelings of
well-being, and increase energy and alertness.
List of the names of prescription, OTC, common and illicit CNS Stimulants.
 Amphetamines & Related Compounds
o Amphetamine sulfate >> Benzedrine, Biphetamine, Obetrol
o Dextroamphetamine sulfate >> Dexedrine, Eskatrol
o Methamphetamine >> Crystal Meth, Desoxyn, Methedrine, Pervitin, Philopo,
Speed, Yaba (methamphetamine and caffeine)
 Dextromethamphetamine >> Ice
 MDMA >> 3,4-methylenedioxy-n-methylamphetamine >> Ecstasy (See
also hallucinogens)
 4-Methylaminorex
o Related compounds
 Fenetylline >> Captagon
 Methylphenidate >> Biphentin, Conceta, Ritalin
 Para-Methoxy-Amphetamine >> 4-MA, PMA (Sometimes sold as Ecstasy
- see also hallucinogens)
 Pemoline >> Cylert
 Cocaine *
o Crack*
o Crack Cocaine*
 Methylxanthines (methylated purines)
o Aaminophylline
o Caffeine >> Coffee, Tea, Cola beverages, Maté
o Theobromine >> Cocoa
o Theophylline >> Tea
 Nicotine
o Tobacco >> Cigarettes, Cigars, Pipe Tobacco
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Chewing Tobacco
Snuff
Other Stimulants
o Betal Nuts >> arecoline
o Cathinone >> Khat plant
 Methcathinone >> Cat
o Ephedra plant, ma huang, marwarth
 Ephedrine
 Pseudoephedrine
o Ibogaine (see also hallucinogens) >> Found in the roots of Tabernanthe iboga
o Piperazines
 3-Trifluoromethylphenylpiperazine Monohydrochloride >> TFMPP
 Benzylpiperazine >> BZP
Antihistamines & Decongestants
o Dextromethorphan >> DXM - often sold as MDMA (see also hallucinogens)
o Phenylpropanolamine
o Phenylephrine
Appetite Suppressants & Anorexiants
o Benzphetamine >> Didrex
o Diethylpropion >> Tenuate
o Mazindol
o Phendimetrazine
o Phenmetrazine >> Preludin
o Phenylpropanolamine
o Phentermine >> Ionamil
* Both cocaine and crack share many of the same properties as stimulants and are
therefore listed above with other stimulants. Cocaine is however classified under the
Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (United States) as a narcotic, so you can get more
information there too.
List of street names for various CNS Stimulants
Bams, Black Beauties, Blackbirds, Cross Tops, Cross Roads, Crosses, Eye Opener, Jolly Beans,
Lid Poppers, Poppers, Speed, Thrusters, Uppers, Uppies, Whites, Bernies, Big, Bloke, Big "C,"
Billie Hoke, Blow, Burese, "C," Charley, Cholly, Cocoa Puffs, Coke, Cola, Corine, Flake, Girl,
Gold Dust, Happy Dust, Heaven Dust, Her, Ice, Jam Cecil, Mosquitoes, Nose Candy, Peruvian
Marching Powder, Powdered Diamond, School Boy, Snow, Snow Caine, Snow Flake, Stardust,
White Mosquitoes , Wire, Bombitas, Businessman's Trip, Crank, Crystal, Meth, Methedrine,
Splash, Dexies, Pep Pills, Bennies
Therapeutic uses of prescription Stimulants
Stimulants have been prescribed for a large number of conditions such as depression fatigue and
long-term weight reduction. There is a restricted use on the legal use of amphetamines to three
medical conditions narcolepsy, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and short-term weight
reduction programs.
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The neurological (brain) effects of Stimulant abuse.
All stimulants work by increasing dopamine levels in the brain—dopamine is a brain chemical
(or neurotransmitter) associated with pleasure, movement, and attention. The therapeutic effect
of stimulants is achieved by slow and steady increases of dopamine, which are similar to the
natural production of the chemical by the brain. The doses prescribed by physicians start low and
increase gradually until a therapeutic effect is reached. However, when taken in doses and routes
other than those prescribed, stimulants can increase brain dopamine in a rapid and highly
amplified manner—as do most other drugs of abuse—disrupting normal communication between
brain cells, producing euphoria, and increasing the risk of addiction.
Physiological effects from Stimulant abuse
Such use can lead to bizarre, erratic behavior. Some cocaine users experience panic
attacks or episodes of full-blown paranoid psychosis, in which the individual loses touch with
reality and hears sounds that are not there (auditory hallucinations). Different ways of using
cocaine can produce different adverse effects. For example, regularly snorting cocaine can lead
to hoarseness, loss of the sense of smell, nosebleeds, and a chronically runny nose. Cocaine
taken orally can cause reduced blood flow, leading to bowel problems.
Repeated use of methamphetamine can cause violent behavior, mood disturbances, and
psychosis, which can include paranoia, auditory hallucinations, and delusions (e.g., the sensation
of insects creeping on the skin, called “fornication”). The paranoia can result in homicidal and
suicidal thoughts. Methamphetamine can increase a person’s sex drive and is linked to risky
sexual behaviors and the transmission of infectious diseases, such as HIV. However, research
also indicates that long-term methamphetamine use may be associated with decreased sexual
function, at least in men.
Identifies the withdrawal effects from Stimulant abuse.
 After a 2-3 day binge
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Dysphonic (feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression)
Exhaustion
Somnolent (sleepy, drowsy) for 24 to 48 hours.
 After chronic, high dose use
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Irritability/anxiety
Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Intense dreaming
Apathy
Increased appetite/cravings
Long periods of sleep
Disorientation
Dermatosis
Hallucinations
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Seizures
Formication (cocaine bugs), Psychosis
Stroke
Heart attack
Death
The symptoms subside over 2 to 4 days of drug abstinence
Identifies health risks of the abuse of Stimulants.
Stimulants can also cause the body’s blood vessels to narrow, constricting the flow of blood,
which forces the heart to work harder to pump blood through the body. The heart may work so
hard that it temporarily loses its natural rhythm. This is called fibrillation and can be very
dangerous because it stops the flow of blood through the body. Other effects of long-term
stimulant abuse can include paranoia, aggressiveness, extreme anorexia, thinking problems,
visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions, and severe dental problems.
Identifies the signs and symptoms of CNS Stimulant dependence.
People under the influence of stimulant drugs will have the appearance of someone who is
suspiciously too alert, seeming to appear nervous, and sweating, often thinking and moving very
quickly with abnormally high energy. Another sign of stimulant use can be found in the eyes.
Generally, in very low lights, normal eyes will dilate to get lighter, but constrict in brighter light
to adjust to the abundance of light entering the eye. In comparison with normal pupil size under
various light conditions, persons under the influence of stimulants will appear to have dilated
pupils - the eyes will look like big black holes and any color in the eye will be hard to see around
the pupil. Often this physical effect will make the eyes appear to be "popping" out of the head.
This dilation of the pupils is a permanent effect for the duration of the high, no matter the
lighting, so if a person is in daylight, for example and their pupils appear to be dilated, this is a
good indicator of stimulant use in conjunction with the above-mentioned symptoms. The picture
to the left is an example of a dilated pupil, where the eye color is difficult to see around the size
of the pupil. For parents, spouses, siblings, friends, and children who know what an individual
usually looks like at sober times, examining the pupil's size, and factoring other symptoms like
abnormal energy, attention, and high body temperature are very conclusive signs for stimulant
use.
Additional effects of cocaine and other stimulant abuse are:
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elevated body temperature
increased heart rate and blood pressure
decreased appetite
increased attention
weight loss
Leslie Clark
References
Central Nervous System Stimulants. (n.d.). In Drug Abuse. Retrieved April 18, 2011, from
http://www.csulb.edu/divisions/students/hrc/health_topics/drug_abuse/drugs_stim.htm
Hason, G. R., Venturelli, P. J., & Fleckenstein, A. E. (2009). Drugs and Society (10th ed.).
Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett.
Stimulants. (n.d.). In NIDA for Teens: Facts on Drugs. Retrieved April 18, 2011, from
http://teens.drugabuse.gov/facts/facts_stim1.php
Stimulants. (n.d.). In Youth on Drugs. Retrieved April 18, 2011, from
http://youthondrugs.com/drugs/stimulants