Stimulants

Stimulants can be used safely for conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy when taken as prescribed and working closely with a doctor.

Stimulant use is illicit when it is not prescribed by a doctor or taken as directed by a doctor. Cocaine and methamphetamine are the most commonly used illicit stimulants.

Knowing the facts, signs, and treatment options for those misusing stimulants can help protect you and the people you care about.

• Nearly 4 million American adults are reported to be misusing prescription stimulants.
• About 5 million Americans are regular cocaine users. Cocaine-related fatalities have grown every year since 2013.
• In 2021, 2.5 million people reported using methamphetamine in the past year.

Risk Factors
Stimulants affect everyone differently depending on weight, size, and metabolism. Other factors include drug potency (which can vary significantly with illicit drugs), the amount taken, and use of other substances at the same time. When taken with other drugs, stimulants present even greater risks. Using stimulants with prescription opioids or over-the-counter medication can be dangerous or even fatal.

Lower doses of stimulants generally create feelings and reactions such as:

• More alert
• More talkative
• Less appetite
• Higher heart rate and blood pressure

Responses to higher doses of stimulants may include:

• Tension and anxiety
• Nausea
• Higher body temperature
• Tremors and seizures
• Coma
• Death

Cocaine

Cocaine is an illegal stimulant drug that comes in two forms: powder and crack.

Both forms of cocaine are highly addictive. Some users become addicted after only a single use. Repeated cocaine use can lead to organ damage, mental disorders, and respiratory failure.

• In 2021, 24,486 people in the U.S. died from an overdose involving cocaine.
• Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 use cocaine more than any other age group.

Cocaine use constricts blood vessels, which increases blood pressure and the risks of stroke and heart attack. Snorting cocaine can also cause serious damage to the nasal cavity.

Mixing cocaine with other stimulants or synthetic opioids such as fentanyl can also be deadly. Most cocaine-related deaths also involve misuse of an opioid.

There are both short and long-term dangers associated with cocaine use, ranging from overdose to organ failure. Knowing the signs and symptoms can help you identify misuse and avoid long-term health problems

Short-term signs and symptoms of cocaine use:

• Dilated pupils
• Increased sociability
• Greater ability to focus
• Long periods of wakefulness
• Loss of appetite
• Paranoia
• Runny nose and sniffling

Long-term effects of cocaine use:

• Irritability, mood swings, or depression
• Headaches
• High blood pressure
• Nausea
• Insomnia
• Seizures
• Coma

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine (also called meth) is a highly addictive, illegal stimulant. Because it creates an intense high very quickly, it is more commonly used than many other stimulants and has a high risk of overdose and addiction. Meth overdose can lead to organ problems, stroke, or heart attack.

• 2.5 million people used methamphetamine in the U.S. according to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
• About 774,000 Americans are regular Meth users. About 16,000 of them are between the ages of 12 and 17.
• Methamphetamine was one of the most frequently reported substances used statewide by those who sought substance use treatment through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) in 2021.
• Nearly 33,000 drug overdose deaths involved meth in 2021. Because meth may have synthetic opioids like fentanyl added without the knowledge of the person using the substance, this can increase their risk.

There are both short and long-term dangers associated with methamphetamine use, ranging from overdose to organ failure. Knowing the signs and symptoms can help you identify misuse and avoid long-term health problems

Short-term signs and symptoms of methamphetamine use:

• More wakefulness and physical activity
• Less appetite
• Faster breathing
• Rapid and/or irregular heartbeat
• Higher blood pressure and body temperature

Long-term effects of methamphetamine use:

• Impaired judgment and riskier behavior
• Increased risk of HIV and hepatitis B and C through shared needles or syringes
• Reduced coordination
• Cognitive difficulty, confusion, and memory loss
• Extreme weight loss
• Severe tooth decay
• Intense itching and skin sores
• Insomnia
• Paranoia and hallucinations
• Violent behavior

Safety guidelines if you are prescribed stimulants

Do not take more medication than prescribed. Anyone who takes more than what was prescribed or more than the body can safely handle risks an overdose—with illegal drugs or a prescribed medication. 

Be honest with your doctor. Your doctor should know about any alcohol or medications you are consuming. They should also know when you started to use them, and how much you take.

Learn about other treatment options. Ask your doctor about other potentially less-addictive options.  

Don’t share medications with anyone. Sharing drugs can be dangerous. Something in another person’s drug, or their dosage, might cause a reaction in you. And, you don’t know if someone else might have a negative reaction to your medications. 

Take your stimulants as prescribed. You don’t need to “finish off” your stimulant prescription the way you do with medications like antibiotics. Talk to your doctor about how long to take prescription medications.

Safe and easy drug disposal

Have you stopped taking a prescription?

Don’t just toss unused drugs in the trash or dump prescriptions down the drain. It’s not safe for the environment or those around you. To prevent visitors, children, and pets from having access, turn in your unused or expired prescriptions at a drug take-back kiosk.

The Arizona Crime Prevention Association maintains a list of other safe disposal locations. Click here for a list of locations.