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13 CHAPTER ONE: WHAT ARE STIMULANTS?

That month she smoked meth every day, and things went from bad to worse. Sam stole from her parents, using their money to buy drugs. When her father confronted her, she ran away. That night she stayed at a friend’s house and smoked pipe after pipe until morning. When she came back, her dad sat her down and asked her if she wanted to get help. Sam thought about it—about the effects on her body, her family, her friends, and her schoolwork—and finally agreed.

HOW STIMULANTS WORK

Sam’s drug use involved various types of stimulants. Stimulants are drugs that speed up activity in the brain and spinal cord; this causes the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to increase. People taking stimulants often feel more alert and energetic. Stimulants can be smoked, inhaled, or swallowed. The most commonly misused stimulants are meth, amphetamines, cocaine, and medications used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a condition in which children have difficulty controlling their behavior. Some stimulants, such as caffeine, have been a part of foods and beverages for thousands of years. Starting in the 19th century, stimulants were created in laboratories to treat ailments such asthma, obesity, neurological disorders, and many other illnesses. Today, they are one of the most misused drug categories. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that 24.7 million people across the globe misuse 500 metric tons (551 tons) of stimulants a year. Once inside the body, stimulants affect the brain by enhancing the effects of several key neurotransmitters . Neurotransmitters are chemicals that allow billions of brain cells, called neurons, to communicate with each other. Stimulants especially enhance the effect of two neurotransmitters— dopamine and norepinephrine. Stimulants increase production of dopamine,