Stimulants are a group of substances that speed up processes in your body, such as messages to your brain. People may use stimulants because they help them feel alert, confident, or euphoric. Stimulants include caffeine, amphetamines (including meth), cocaine, pseudoephedrine, and methylphenidate.
Published: 2023
Amphetamines work by speeding up certain parts of the brain. They come in tablets and capsules, but may also be used in powder form. People may use amphetamines without a prescription to lose weight, study, or feel euphoric (‘high’).
Published: 2023
Download our DECYDE Substance Snapshot on Amphetamines here.
Caffeine comes from over 60 species of plants. It is widely used for its energizing effect. Some common forms of caffeine include coffee, tea, soda, and energy drinks (e.g., Red Bull, Monster, Rockstar). Caffeine may also be seen as a pill or tablet.
Published: 2023
Cocaine comes in a white powder, or crystals (called crack). Cocaine is known for its fast onset of effect, and people enjoy it because of how stimulating it is. It can be laced with additives such as opioids. It’s hard to tell the substances in your cocaine by just looking at it.
Published: 2023
Methamphetamine (‘meth’) works by speeding up certain parts of the brain. It is much more powerful than other stimulants (e.g. cocaine, methylphenidate, amphetamine). It can come as a crystalline powder, a pill, or it may look like small fragments of glass (‘crystal meth’).
Published: 2023
Download our DECYDE Substance Snapshot on Methamphetamine here.
Methylphenidate works by speeding up certain parts of the brain. It comes in tablets and capsules, but may also be used in powder form. People may use methylphenidate without a prescription to lose weight, study, or feel euphoric (‘high’).
Published: 2023
Download our DECYDE Substance Snapshot on Methylphenidate here.