Amphetamines and Barbiturates-A comparative study

During the last two weeks, we have been learning about the side effects of substance abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, each year almost 40 million serious illnesses have occurred by drug abuse in the United States (National Library of Medicine). Some effects of drug abuse are driving while impaired (DWI) and violence. Drug addiction might cause a person to become homeless or commit crimes. Some of the abused drugs are amphetamines and barbiturates. In this paper, I will compare and contrast amphetamines and barbiturates.

Amphetamines are stimulants. Like coffee, (another example for a stimulant) amphetamines help you stay awake. Physicians use amphetamines to treat asthma, hyperactivity and sleeping disorders. But if you abuse the amphetamines, you will get very sick. Overuse of amphetamine can cause physical effects such as increased breathing, rapid heart rate and high blood pressure. When amphetamines are abused, it will result in weight loss, paranoia, panic attacks and difficulty swallowing. Sometimes the person abusing the drug might get impulsive, risk-taking actions. Some street names of this include “Bennies, Black Beauties, Uppers, Speed and Ice.” (What to Teach Kids About Amphetamines).

Another type of drugs is barbiturates. These drugs are depressants. Depressants have hypnotic and tranquilizing effects. Barbiturates are used to treat epilepsy. Barbiturates are often used as anesthesia for surgical procedures. It can relieve a person from tension or anxiety. When barbiturates are abused, a person will have vision problems, a feeling of intoxication, emotional instability, slurred speech and chronic tiredness. Often times the abuser of the drug is sleepy. Some of the street names are, “Redbirds, Tooties and Barbs.” (Smith and Smith)

As amphetamines are stimulants and barbiturates are depressants, they have very different side effects as mentioned above. But, amphetamines and barbiturates have many similarities. Both can be taken orally or can be injected and are very addictive. Amphetamines and barbiturates can cause a person to lack coordination, have memory loss and many disorders. Addiction of both can lead to death. But, if used under a physician’s guidance, both can be used to treat sleeping disorders like narcolepsy.

It was a great educational experience to research about amphetamines and barbiturates. I learned a lot about the physical, behavioral and psychological side effects of drug abuse. If more youngsters are educated about these topics I am positive that we can decrease the numbers of drug users in our society.


Works Cited
National Library of Medicine. 7 March 2011. 7 March 2011 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugabuse.html.
Smith, Sandra Fucci. and Christopher Smith. Personal Health Choices. Boston Jones & Bartlett Publishers, Inc., 1990.
What to Teach Kids About Amphetamines. Minneapolis, MN Hazelden Publishing, 1998.