Lifestyle > Amphetamine use: Countries Compared
Author: Edria Murray, Staff editor
Amphetamine and Methamphetamine are stimulant drugs. Although amphetamines have some therapeutic uses such as the treatment of obesity, they are more well known as recreational drugs. Common names for these drugs include speed, meth, chalk, ecstacy, ice and glass. Amphetamines are addictive and tolerance can develop, causing the user to need more of the drug to get the same effect.</p>
<p>Long term amphetamine use has been linked to paranoid psychosis, hallucinations, violent and aggressive behavior, weight loss and tremors.</p>
<p>As amphetamine use is usually self-reported, inaccuracies in the data are likely to occur due to:
<ul>
<li>The legal status of amphetamine use and the percieved level of enforcement of these laws.</li>
<li>General public opinion of amphetamine use.</li></ul>
<p>Amphetamine possession (without a doctors prescription), use, supply and manufacture is illegal in most countries including Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.</p>
<p>Countries with high rates of amphetamine use also have high rates of <a href=http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_can_use>cannabis</a> use but usage rates of common legal drugs such as alcohol (<a href=/graph/lif_tot_spi_con&int=-1>spirits</a>, <a href=graph/lif_bee_con&int=-1>beer</a>,
<a href=/graph/lif_win_con&int=-1>wine</a>) and <a href=/graph/hea_tob_tot_adu_smo&int=-1>tobacco</a> are not unusually high.</p>
<p>Long term amphetamine use has been linked to paranoid psychosis, hallucinations, violent and aggressive behavior, weight loss and tremors.</p>
<p>As amphetamine use is usually self-reported, inaccuracies in the data are likely to occur due to:
<ul>
<li>The legal status of amphetamine use and the percieved level of enforcement of these laws.</li>
<li>General public opinion of amphetamine use.</li></ul>
<p>Amphetamine possession (without a doctors prescription), use, supply and manufacture is illegal in most countries including Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.</p>
<p>Countries with high rates of amphetamine use also have high rates of <a href=http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_can_use>cannabis</a> use but usage rates of common legal drugs such as alcohol (<a href=/graph/lif_tot_spi_con&int=-1>spirits</a>, <a href=graph/lif_bee_con&int=-1>beer</a>,
<a href=/graph/lif_win_con&int=-1>wine</a>) and <a href=/graph/hea_tob_tot_adu_smo&int=-1>tobacco</a> are not unusually high.</p>
DEFINITION:
Percentage of people who have used amphetamines, generally for ages 15 and over. Spain and Greece: data for ages 15-64. Netherlands: data for ages 15-59. United Kingdom: data for ages 16-59. Germany: data for ages 18-59. Belgium: data for ages 18-65. France: data for ages 18-69. Data generally for 1999 or 1998. Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden: data for 1997. Austria: data for 1996. Denmark, France: data for 1995. Belgium: data for 1994. Canada: data for 1993.
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<p>Long term amphetamine use has been linked to paranoid psychosis, hallucinations, violent and aggressive behavior, weight loss and tremors.</p>
<p>As amphetamine use is usually self-reported, inaccuracies in the data are likely to occur due to:
<ul>
<li>The legal status of amphetamine use and the percieved level of enforcement of these laws.</li>
<li>General public opinion of amphetamine use.</li></ul>
<p>Amphetamine possession (without a doctors prescription), use, supply and manufacture is illegal in most countries including Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand.</p>
<p>Countries with high rates of amphetamine use also have high rates of <a href=http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/lif_can_use>cannabis</a> use but usage rates of common legal drugs such as alcohol (<a href=/graph/lif_tot_spi_con&int=-1>spirits</a>, <a href=graph/lif_bee_con&int=-1>beer</a>,
<a href=/graph/lif_win_con&int=-1>wine</a>) and <a href=/graph/hea_tob_tot_adu_smo&int=-1>tobacco</a> are not unusually high.</p>
Posted on 10 Mar 2005
Edria Murray, Staff editor
