Page 8 - MELD Stimulant service

4

Drug-Related Deaths in 2020 in which
Stimulant Drugs were Implicated

4 WHAT ARE STIMULANT DRUGS?

Stimulant drugs, also known as “uppers,” stimulate the central nervous system,
increasing neuronal activity in the brain and making a person feel more alert
and focused.

Increased confidence and reduced hunger are side effects of stimulant drugs
use, as are increased blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration, dehydration,
increased anxiety, and mood changes. Examples of illicit stimulant drugs include
cocaine, crack cocaine, Ecstasy/MDMA, speed/methamphetamine.

Historically, stimulant drugs have been used to treat medical issues and
conditions. However, in the 1960s, governments began to restrict the use of
stimulant drugs for medical purposes, and currently stimulant drugs are now
only prescribed to treat a few medical conditions, (e.g., amphetamines, for
example Ritalin for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)).
However, illicit stimulant drug use has surged in recent years, with cocaine
consumption increasing in Western Europe as a result of increased cocaine
supply and decreased pricing (Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE),
2021). The United Kingdom is no exception, with cocaine consumption up since
2015. (RCPE, 2021) It is important to note that the National Records of Scotland
statistics concerning drug related deaths may not provide an accurate picture
of the number of drug related deaths as the statistics only count the number of
people who pass away with drugs in their system (e.g. as a result of accidental
or intentional drugs poisoning) (NRS, 2021).

The use of regular use of illicit stimulant drugs, such as cocaine, can lead to
individuals developing serious and fatal health outcomes, the most common of
which include cardiovascular problems (e.g. arrhythmias, myocardial infarction,
strokes) and psychiatric illnesses (e.g. depression, psychotic episodes, suicidal
ideation) (RCPE, 2021). Moreover, there are also health risks and hazards
depending on how cocaine is being used. For example, individuals who smoke
crack cocaine are at risk of developing respiratory problems, individuals who
snort power cocaine are at risk of developing nasal ulcerations, and individuals
who inject cocaine are at higher risk of developing blood-borne viruses such as
HIV/AIDS (RCPE, 2021) as well as infections linked to injecting sites.