Amphetamines have been around since the 1800s. Methamphetamine was first synthesized 1893. The use of amphetamines increased drastically in the mid 1900s. They were prescribed to military workers in World War 2 to help with fatigue and alertness in battle. The first reports of abuse surfaced in the 1940s. After cannabis, it is the most widely abused illicit drug worldwide. [18]
It has grown in popularity because it can be manufactured in clandestine labs with very little infrastructure. Methamphetamine tends to be more common in areas where cocaine is less available. The manufacture of methamphetamine is very risky, as it involves volatile and combustible chemicals that pose a great risk to first responders. Methamphetamines can be taken via the intravenous route (IV), smoked, by mouth (PO), per rectum (PR), vaginally, or even through the urethra. Most means of uptake into the body require a great “dedication” to obtaining the side effects. Amphetamines are currently one of the most widely abused drugs in the world. [19]
