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Not yet medically reviewed — information on this site is in preparation and has not been verified by a medical reviewer.
Drug index / Stimulant / Methamphetamine
Stimulant

Methamphetamine

(2S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-amine

Methamphetamine is a powerful, highly addictive synthetic stimulant that strains the heart and brain and is increasingly contaminated with fentanyl.

Overview

Methamphetamine is a potent, lab-made stimulant with a high potential for addiction. A pharmaceutical form is approved in the U.S., in limited doses and rare cases, for ADHD and short-term treatment of obesity, but the methamphetamine sold illicitly is produced in clandestine labs and is far more common. It often appears as a bluish-white crystalline rock — "crystal meth" — that is smoked, or as a powder that is snorted, swallowed, or injected. Smoking or injecting delivers it to the brain almost immediately, producing an intense high. Its effects can fade while the drug is still in the body, which drives repeated dosing, sometimes over several days without sleep. In recent years dealers have increasingly mixed the opioid fentanyl into methamphetamine, adding a hidden and very different danger to a stimulant that is already hard on the body.

Source: NIDA; DEA; PubChem CID 10836

Chemistry & mechanism of action

Methamphetamine floods the brain with dopamine — the neurotransmitter tied to reward, movement, and motivation — far more powerfully and for longer than normal signaling. This surge produces the euphoria, alertness, and energy that reinforce repeated use, while the drug simultaneously stimulates the cardiovascular system, raising heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature and constricting blood vessels. Over time, heavy use depletes and damages dopamine systems, which is part of why long-term users can have lasting problems with mood, memory, and movement. Because the pleasurable effects can disappear before blood levels fall, people often take more chasing the original high, accelerating tolerance and the cycle of addiction.

Source: NIDA; PubChem CID 10836

Effects

Short-term, methamphetamine produces euphoria, heightened alertness and energy, talkativeness, decreased appetite, and increased confidence and sex drive — alongside serious physical strain: rapid or irregular heartbeat, raised blood pressure, and a sharp, sometimes dangerous rise in body temperature. At higher doses or with repeated use, people may experience anxiety, paranoia, aggression, and stimulant psychosis — hallucinations and delusions that can persist. A non-fatal overdose ("overamping") can involve chest pain, agitation, seizures, or signs of stroke. Long-term use is associated with severe dental decay ("meth mouth"), skin sores from compulsive picking, weight loss, memory and cognitive problems, and lasting cardiovascular damage. Addiction can develop quickly, and stopping brings fatigue, depression, and intense cravings.

Source: NIDA

Risks & harms

Methamphetamine carries two distinct dangers. The first is the stimulant load on the body: it can trigger a heart attack, stroke, dangerously high body temperature, or seizures even in people without known heart problems, and the risk rises with dose, dehydration, exertion, and heat. Unlike opioids, no medication reverses a stimulant overdose — emergency care is the only response, so unresponsiveness, chest pain, very high temperature, or seizures mean calling 911 immediately. The second danger is contamination: the illicit supply is increasingly cut with fentanyl, and a large share of methamphetamine-involved deaths now also involve an opioid. Because fentanyl cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, anyone using illicit methamphetamine also risks an opioid overdose they did not expect — which is why naloxone (Narcan), over the counter since 2023, is worth having on hand even with a stimulant. Mixing methamphetamine with other substances, including alcohol or other stimulants, compounds cardiovascular strain. For poisoning guidance call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; for substance-use support the SAMHSA National Helpline is 1-800-662-4357.

Source: NIDA; DEA; SAMHSA

Subjective effects

increased wakefulness/activity, euphoria (intense when smoked/injected), decreased appetite, raised HR/BP/temp

Long-term effects

irritability, tremors, convulsions, anxiety, paranoia, neurotoxicity (neuron + blood-vessel damage); aggression/violence

Duration

6–8 hr

Harmful effects

death from anorexia, hyperthermia, convulsions, cardiovascular collapse (stroke/heart attack)

Medicinal use

Desoxyn (5mg) — limited use for obesity + ADHD

History

pharmaceuticals widely diverted 1960s; Schedule II 1971; resurgence in 1980s

Prevalence

most-reported NFLIS drug since 2017 (>301,000 reports in 2024); NSDUH ~2.4M past-year misuse (2024)

Images

Visual references coming soon.

If it’s too intense

If an experience becomes overwhelming, the goal is to stay safe and let it pass — most difficult experiences ease as the drug wears off.

  • Get to a calm, safe space with someone you trust who is sober and can stay with you.
  • Cool down if you’re overheating — move somewhere cool, remove extra layers, rest. Overheating is especially a risk with stimulants and MDMA.
  • Sip water to thirst — but don’t over-hydrate. Drinking large amounts of plain water (especially after MDMA) can dangerously dilute your blood sodium (hyponatremia). Electrolytes help more than volume.
  • Slow your breathing — long, slow exhales help settle a racing heart and anxiety.
  • A sugary drink, fruit juice, or a snack can ease shakiness and the anxiety that comes with low blood sugar.
  • Do not take more, and do not add another substance to manage it. Redosing or adding something else (including a sedative like a benzodiazepine) can make things worse, not better.

With stimulants, overheating and a racing heart are the main concerns — get somewhere cool, stop any physical activity, and don't take more.

Call 911 (or Poison Control, 1-800-222-1222) right away for chest pain, a very high body temperature, a seizure, unconsciousness, or severe confusion. These are medical emergencies, not something to wait out.

Source: general harm-reduction guidance from SAMHSA, NIH/NIDA, and MedlinePlus, in our own words. Draft — not yet medically reviewed.

Forensic dossier

Draft · every field is source-cited or marked “Unknown — pending review”

Identity

IUPAC name
(2S)-N-methyl-1-phenylpropan-2-aminePubChem PUG-REST · retrieved 2026-06-18
InChIKey
MYWUZJCMWCOHBA-VIFPVBQESA-NPubChem PUG-REST · retrieved 2026-06-18
Synonyms / aliases
meth, crystal, Metamfetamine, d-Deoxyephedrine, Metamphetamine, d-Desoxyephedrine, d-Methylamphetamine, d-N-Methylamphetamine, Norodin, (S)-Methamphetamine, d-Phenylisopropylmethylamine, N-MethylamphetaminePubChem PUG-REST + seed aliases · retrieved 2026-06-18

Composition

Composition
N/A — single compound (see Identity)

Physical / pill characteristics

Dosage form
3 DOSAGE FORMS AND STRENGTHS Tablets: 5 mg of methamphetamine hydrochloride as a round, white to off-white, biconvex, debossed tablet with “54” on one side and openFDA drug label · retrieved 2026-06-18
Shape
Unknown — pending review (verify tablet imprint/shape against NLM Pillbox/DailyMed; N/A if not an oral tablet)
Color
Unknown — pending review (verify tablet imprint/shape against NLM Pillbox/DailyMed; N/A if not an oral tablet)
Imprint
Unknown — pending review (verify tablet imprint/shape against NLM Pillbox/DailyMed; N/A if not an oral tablet)
Score
Unknown — pending review (verify tablet imprint/shape against NLM Pillbox/DailyMed; N/A if not an oral tablet)

Scheduling & legal status

US schedule
Unknown — pending review
International
Unknown — pending review

Pill catalog

Rx/OTC variants · openFDA + DailyMed (public domain) · draft, pending review

This drug comes in 3different versions. Make sure you’re looking at the right one — use the search above to find your exact pill by imprint, color, or shape.

Showing 3 of 3 variants

115
Illustration based on reported characteristics. Appearance varies — identical-looking pills can contain completely different substances. Always test.
Strength
METHAMPHETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE 5 mg/1
Imprint
115
Color
white
Shape
ROUND
Form
TABLET
Labeler
Mayne Pharma Commercial LLC
Schedule
CII
NDC
68308-115 · 2026-06-18
54 681
Illustration based on reported characteristics. Appearance varies — identical-looking pills can contain completely different substances. Always test.
Strength
METHAMPHETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE 5 mg/1
Imprint
54 681
Color
WHITE
Shape
ROUND
Form
TABLET
Labeler
Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.
Schedule
CII
NDC
0054-0389 · 2026-06-18
115
Illustration based on reported characteristics. Appearance varies — identical-looking pills can contain completely different substances. Always test.
Strength
METHAMPHETAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE 5 mg/1
Imprint
115
Color
WHITE
Shape
ROUND
Form
TABLET
Labeler
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Inc
Schedule
CII
NDC
75907-094 · 2026-06-18

Dosage

Pending medical reviewer

Sources

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