Currently we know that much of the drug amphetamine available in Australia is methamphetamine, which is its strongest form. Methamphetamine comes in a number of different forms - ‘speed’, ‘base’ and ‘ice’.
Speed, base and ice are all the same drug – they just differ in their purity. For example, ice is about 80 per cent pure, whereas speed is typically around 10–20 per cent pure. This difference in purity makes the side effects stronger and makes it more addictive.
All the different forms of methamphetamine are man-made. Speed, base and ice are usually manufactured in backyard laboratories from a variety of chemicals, some of which are poisonous. Some of these chemicals are difficult to obtain, so the people making the drug have to replace them with poorer quality products. People who use these drugs never know exactly what they are using.
What is speed?
Speed usually comes in powder form, but can also be bought as pills. It is also known as go-ee, whiz, rev and uppers.
The quality of speed varies greatly. The chemicals used to make speed are either illegal or difficult to get and that means that the criminals who make the drug have had to find new things to put into it – every batch made has its own recipe. Some speed that has been seized by police has been found to have only 5 per cent amphetamine and 95 per cent other things! There is no quality control with street drugs, and no guarantee that what you are buying is truly speed.
Speed can make people feel like they have more energy. Unfortunately the drug often keeps them awake for much longer than they really want and also stops them from eating properly. This can lead to the person becoming run down and becoming very unwell.
Some people also experience ‘speed psychosis’. This is when the amount of speed in the body has reached a toxic point and they start to become paranoid (i.e. believing someone is out to get them) and hallucinate (i.e. seeing and hearing things that are not really there). These symptoms can become very serious, and are made worse if they keep using the drug.
What is base?
Base is a damp or oily substance with a white to yellow or brown colour which is more pure than powder. It can vary a lot in its appearance and is known by a range of terms, including pure, paste and wax. It is the least commonly used of the three forms of methamphetamine available in Australia.
What is ice?
Ice is the purest form of methamphetamine available in Australia. It usually looks like colourless to white crystals, or a coarse crystal-like powder. Ice has lots of names and is also called crystal, crystal meth, meth or shabu.
Unlike speed, ice can be smoked. This causes the drug to enter the brain much more quickly than other forms of methamphetamine, and therefore makes it far more addictive.
Like speed and base, ice is a powerful stimulant, but because it is so pure, it puts a greater strain on the body and can be much more dangerous. Although some people prefer ice to the other forms of methamphetamine because it gives a stronger high, its side effects are much worse. Like the other forms of methamphetamine, it keeps people awake, decreases appetite and gives them energy. However, even if the user wants to sleep they find it very difficult, and they usually stay awake for long periods of time after taking the drug; becoming very tired, rundown and eventually very ill.
Other problems can include chest pains, weight loss, feeling confused or agitated, and being depressed or anxious. This is particularly true when someone has stopped taking ice and is 'coming down' off the drug.
All forms of methamphetamine can cause problems with the heart, but ice is the most risky. Taking part in strenuous activity like dancing can be very dangerous for some people after taking ice.
Like other forms of methamphetamine, ice can cause a psychotic reaction in some people. As ice is purer, there is a greater likelihood of this happening. When people develop a psychosis they hear and see things that aren’t there and have unusual beliefs, like people are spying on them. Sometimes people have hallucinations that they can feel, like crawling bugs under the skin. They can also smell things that aren’t really there, like rotting flesh.
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