Stimulants
Drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.
Cocaine history
5000 B.C. Inca Empire COCA PLant
early use of cocaine
Coca paste
cocaine hydrochloride
freebase
crack
Benefits of cocaine
local anesthesia
increases energy
increases well-being
Amphetamines history
1900’s Chloral hydrate, Paraldehyde(Bad odor, bromides)
1903 Barbiturates
50’s-60s Meprobamate “Happy pills”
60’s Benzodiazepines
80’s body builders, more common in stores
2000’s scheduled by U.S.
dangers
Acute and chronic toxicity
Dependence potential - extremely high
Methamphetamines
easy to make
designed for injection