Amphetamine Type Stimulants - Essay Example

Psychoactive drugs: Amphetamine type stimulants Name: Edith Cowan University ADS 1252: Addiction Studies Tutor: Name of your tutor/lecturer Date submitted Introduction A lot of people around the globe especially the young people are putting their health at risk by misusing the amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS). This is more so because of being ignorant of the dangers associated with abusing such drugs (UNCND, 2004). Amphetamine type stimulants falls into a strong group of drugs referred to as psychostimulants. These amphetamine drugs include methamphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy and they all speed up the activities of the central nervous system (UNODC, 2006). People who abuse drugs are estimated to be 200 million worldwide, of which 35 million are said to abuse ATS. Increased use of ATS are being recorded in North America, South East Asia, Europe and Australia (UNODC, 2006). In this essay the prevalence of amphetamine type stimulants in Australia over the past two years will be discussed. The potential harms and benefits of the amphetamine type stimulants will also be discussed in this essay. Prevalence of amphetamine-type stimulants in Australia in the past two years Drug use in Australia has seen the shift towards the use of amphetamine type stimulants in the last few years (Australian Federal Police, 2015). Amphetamine –type stimulants maintains its rank as the second –most widely used drug in Australia after Cannabis, its source being dominantly the domestic sources but crime groups sneak into the country some substantial amounts of ATS and their precursor chemicals (UNODC, 2013). The main ATS abused in Australia include amphetamine, cocaine, methylamphetamine and phenethylamines (Australian Crime Commission, 2014). In the year 2012-13, detections of ATS in both weight and number at the Australian border increased recording the highest during that period. The weights of ATS detections in the period ranging from 2011-2012 were 347.3 kilograms. This figure shot to a record high of 2138.5 kilograms in the period 2012-13 (Australian Crime Commission, 2014). This translates into a 515.8% increase. This detection does not include methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) which also forms part of ATS. The detections of MDMA also increased at the Australian border during the same period 2012-2013 reaching the highest on record (Australian Crime Commission, 2014). The National Drug Strategy Household Survey of 2010 showed that 7% of the Australian population from 14 years and above used amphetamine or methylamphatamines at least once in their lifetime (AIHW, 2011). Study showed that the population having used methylamphetamines went up from 66% in the year 2011 to 68% in the year 2012 (Australian Crime Commission, 2014). These statistics remained relatively the same in the period 2013-2014 (Sutherland & Burns, 2015). In the past two years the use of ATS in Australia rated highly. The use of cocaine was most prevalent in New South Wales recording 32 percent users. In other areas in Australia the prevalence of usage of cocaine remains below 15 percent. Thus the usage of cocaine remains low in all areas in Australia except for New South Wales where it remains high (Stafford & Burns, 2015). About 70% of the Australian population attested to having used methamphetamine forms either the powder which has the common name of ‘speed’ or methamphetamine base or methamphetamine ice in the 2013-2014 period (Sutherland & Burns, 2015). Speed which is the methamphetamine powder remains the highest utilized form of methamphetamine form in Australia. It is closely followed by methamphetamine crystals, methamphetamine base and methamphetamine pills in that order. The use of all forms of methamphetamine has shown a decreasing trend in the general population over the last few years but among the regular drug users there has been an upward trend in the usage of crystal methamphetamine (UNODC, 2013). Ecstasy use in Australia though on a downward trend still remains the second most widely used illicit drug in Australia. By the year 2010 the use of ecstasy in the general population had decreased to 3% from 3.5% that was recorded in the year 2007. Those individuals reporting to having used ecstasy once in their life time went up to 10.3% in 2010 from 8.9% in the year 2007. Within the regular users of ecstasy in Australia there has been a renewal in the market for ecstasy with a 32% of drug users nominating ecstasy as their drug of choice having increased from the 27% of the users in 2011 having their drug of choice as being ecstasy (UNODC, 2013). This percentage of users nominating ecstasy as their drug of choice increased to 33% in the year 2013 (UNODC, 2013). There was also an increase in the number of arrests related to ATS use. There was the increase from 12,897 in 2010-2011 periods to 16,828 in 2011-2012. Arrests related to ATS use account for 18.1% of all illicit drug arrests in Australia (UNODC, 2013). This number of people arrested in regard to ATS use to 22189 people in the period 2012-2013, the highest ever recorded (Australian Crime Commission, 2014). Arrests in the period 2013-2014 related to the abuse of amphetamines increased compared to the arrests of the previous period (Stafford & Burns, 2015). Harmful effects of amphetamine type stimulants Cocaine use leads negative effects which include reduced appetite, anxiety, paranoia, depression, insomnia, anxiety and panic (Latt, 2009). Cocaine since being a strong stimulant that has its effect on the central nervous system by increasing the level of neurotransmitter substance, dopamine, impair the communications of the central nervous system. In normal circumstances dopamine is recycled after transmitting impulses but with the use of cocaine the recycling is impaired thus destroying the normal brain communication (Aronson, 2014). Amphetamine type stimulants in general have been found to have side effects on the central nervous system as it use produces a range of changes behavior wise which include but not limited to anorexia, emotional lability, anxiety and fever (Aronson, 2014). Amphetamine used in high doses has been documented to lead to psychosis exhibiting symptoms similar to those exhibited by schizophrenia (Heal et al 2013: Curran, Byrappa & McBride, 2004). The fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental acknowledges the diagnoses of amphetamine induced psychosis (Berman et al, 2009). There is enough documentation on amphetamine induced psychosis. There exist many cases of mental health problems stemming from the use of amphetamines (Sachdev & Keshavan, 2010). Amphetamine induced psychosis is characterized by the individual experiencing delusions, hallucinations and paranoia (Saddock & Saddock, 2007). Depression has also been cited as emanating from the use of amphetamines. Studies strongly suggest that amphetamine use interferes with the levels of dopamine within the human systems. The reduced dopamine levels in the human system make it difficult for one to feel positive emotions. This paves way for depression in such individuals. (Aronson, 2014). Continued use of amphetamines can also cause heart problems. Its use has been revealed to cause inflammation of blood vessels and clotting. This creates increased risk of heart attack and stroke. The heart attack has been traced back to increased heart rate due to the effects of the amphetamines. Due to the use of amphetamines the central nervous system is affected negatively. This means that communication between the heart and the brain is not proper. This disruption in communication means that the heart beats are not consistent and the activities of the heart cannot be regulated hence cardiac arrest. Amphetamines have also been found out to trigger disorganized heart rhythms (Saddock & Saddock, 2007). Amphetamines use has the negative effect of injuring and destroying body organs particularly the skin and the nose. Cocaine is usually snorted. In the process of snorting these amphetamines abscesses are caused in the nose. These abscesses graduate into holes in the nose and can eventually lead to the collapse of the cartilage that divides the nose. In the same organ these drugs can also lead to nosebleeds, sinus difficulties and inflamed nasal passages (Latt, 2009). Some of the amphetamines are injected into the body. Continued injections destroy the skin, block blood vessels and this precipitates into damaging the liver, heart and other body organs (Latt, 2009: Roxburgh et al, 2013). There are also high incidences of disease transmission among amphetamine abusers. The injections of these drugs into the body means abusers often share needles and often use dirty needles since they are always recycled. This has resulted to transmission of such diseases as hepatitis B and C, and HIV. Research has shown that those who abuse amphetamines especially cocaine suffer high incidences of sexually transmitted diseases as those who abuse the drug engage in risky sexual behaviours (Aronson, 2014). Amphetamines affect judgment in that during sex its abusers are less likely to use condoms hence high rates of unprotected sex among amphetamine abusers (Goldberg, 2014). Amphetamines have also impacted negatively on the social front. Families have parted ways since the spouse cannot cope up with the behaviuor of the spouse using amphetamines. Abusers neglect their families and abandon their responsibilities in the family life leading to family disintegration and strife. Relations with the rest of the community is strangled as well (Dale & Livingston, 2010) . Overdoses of the same drug have also been documented to cause death (Aronson, 2014:). Benefits of Amphetamines use The legal amphetamines are prescribed by doctors and are important in the treatment of such disorders as narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). These amphetamine stimulants have been used to treat behavioral problems in children. The most common prescription for the treatment of ADHD is Ritallin (Goldberg, 2014: Young & Bramham, 2007). Amphetamines are known to increase and fasten the activities of the brain and majorly the central nervous system. It is for this reason that amphetamines have been utilized in the military as it is known to increase the concentration of the soldiers and enhance mood and cognitive functions which are very vital in the military more so during war periods (Mason, Wise & Redding, 2012: Roxburgh et al, 2013). Amphetamines are utilized in the reduction of aggression in children as it reduces excessive motor behavior in children. Amphetamines are also known to enhance performance, stamina and creativity. These drugs stimulate and expand the capabilities of the mind and make retrieval and processing of information more effective and efficient (Moore, 2010). Amphetamines are also important in the medical field as they are utilized as an anesthesia. Conclusion Amphetamines have been used medically to treat disorders and enhance performance and improve mind capabilities. But these drugs have also been abused leading to detrimental effects such as brain damage, impairment of the central nervous system, depression, family disintegration and strife as well as increased transmissions of sexually transmitted diseases. The abuse of amphetamines is a notch high in Australia. Regulations and measures need to be put in place to curb the abuse of amphetamines as the detrimental effects of these drugs overweigh the benefits. References Aronson, J. K. (2014). Side effects of drugs annual 35. Amsterdam: Elsevier. Australian Crime Commission (2014). Illicit drug data report 2012-2013. Retrieved from the Australian Crime Commission website: https://www.crimecommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/IDOR-2012-2013- Amphetamine-type-stimulants.pdf Australian Federal Police (2015). Amphetamines. 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