Speed

10-minute read

Key facts

Speed is a form of amphetamine that's less potent (strong) than ice.
It's an illegal drug that affects how your brain works.
Speed can make you feel happy, but can also cause unwanted effects, such as aggression.
Overdosing on speed can be fatal (cause death).
If you want to stop using speed, you can speak with your doctor.

What is speed?

Speed is a type of amphetamine. It's a central nervous system stimulant that affects the way your brain works and how your body functions.

There are different types of amphetamines. Doctors prescribe some amphetamines to treat medical conditions such as narcolepsy (an uncontrollable urge to sleep) or ADHD.

Other amphetamines are produced and sold illegally. Methamphetamines are a more potent form of amphetamine. The main forms of illicit methamphetamine are:

speed
base
crystal meth (ice)

Ice is the most potent (strongest) form of methamphetamine.

Speed is also known as:

goey
louee
rack
up
uppers
whiz

Speed is found as powder and pills. Speed powder can be:

white
brown
grey
pink

Speed can be:

swallowed
injected
smoked
snorted

What are the effects of taking speed?

The effects of speed are felt quickly if the drug is injected or smoked. If snorted or swallowed, the effects can take 30 minutes to appear. The effects last for several hours.

Speed can make people feel 'pumped' and happy. They may:

have an energy boost
feel more alert
be more talkative

It can also cause unwanted side effects, such as:

fast heart rate and breathing
increased blood pressure
loss of appetite and a dry mouth
a higher sex drive
jaw clenching and teeth grinding
large pupils
nausea and vomiting

Speed may also make you feel nervous, anxious and paranoid.

Speed can affect you differently based on:

how much you take
how strong the speed is
your size, height and weight
whether you are used to taking speed
whether you take other drugs or alcohol at the same time as speed
your mood before taking speed
the setting in which you take speed

What can go wrong with speed?

After taking speed, you may have a 'come down'. Coming down can take 2 to 4 days. You might experience:

poor sleep and exhaustion
headaches
dizziness and confusion
aches and pains
anxiety, irritability and paranoia
hallucinations
depression

High doses and frequent use of speed can cause psychosis. Psychosis from speed can be very similar to schizophrenia. If you have psychosis, you may hallucinate, and behave in an aggressive way.

Psychosis symptoms usually go away if you stop taking speed.

Laced speed

Speed can be mixed with other substances such as:

binding agents
caffeine
sugar
other drugs

Some substances mixed with speed can increase your risk of harm.

There are now pill testing or drug checking centres in Queensland and the ACT. Testing is also being trialled in Victoria and New South Wales. However, testing is not available everywhere.

You can use these services to find out if a drug is very strong or mixed with other things. Knowing what is in speed can reduce your chance of harm.

Support for injecting behaviour

If you inject speed, you can be at risk of spreading a blood-borne disease. To get clean needles and syringes, visit a needle and syringe program (NSP). These programs provide clean equipment to people who inject drugs. It's also known as 'needle exchange'.

The types of needle and syringe programs vary. It could be a counter at the pharmacy or a machine with a chute to return used needles.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

Overdose

If you take a large amount or a strong dose you can overdose on speed. Some signs of an overdose with speed are if you:

have a fast heartbeat
struggle to breathe
have fits, convulsions or seizures
have a fever
feel panicked, paranoid, agitated or hallucinating
are vomiting
appear drowsy, faint or are not responsive

An overdose can also cause serious complications, such as:

a stroke
a heart attack
dangerous overheating of the body called "hyperthermia"
liver failure
kidney failure

These can lead to death.

If you think someone has overdosed on speed, call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. Ambulance officers don't have to call the police, even if they know you took an illicit drug.

Can speed cause long-term problems?

People who take speed over a long time can:

have extreme weight loss
get heart and kidney problems
develop dental problems
have a higher chance of stroke

If you inject speed, you may be at a higher chance of:

vein damage
blood clots
infections such as tetanus
HIV and hepatitis infections from sharing needles

There are lots of mental health issues linked to using speed, such as depression and anxiety.

What if I use other drugs or alcohol with speed?

Taking speed with:

alcohol can increase your heart rate and blood pressure, and make the effects of speed stronger
opioids or antidepressants can cause an irregular heartbeat or seizures
cocaine can cause anxiety and increase your chance of having a stroke

Taking other drugs with speed can lead to dependence on several drugs at once.

Can I become dependent on speed?

People can become addicted to using speed. You may find it hard to stop or control how much you use. You may even feel like you need the drug just to get through the day. This can impact your:

social life
work and study
relationships

If you're dependent on speed, you may have withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using it. These can include:

cravings for speed
an increased appetite
feeling confused and irritable
feeling exhausted and having difficulty sleeping
having vivid dreams and nightmares
feeling anxious, depressed and paranoid
having aches and pains

Most withdrawal symptoms reduce after a week. After a month, most withdrawal symptoms will disappear.

Tolerance

It's possible to become tolerant to speed. This is when you need more of the drug to achieve the same effects.

You or someone you know may be finding it hard to manage issues related to drug use. You can try healthdirect's Symptom Checker to get advice on when to seek help.

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

How can I stop using speed?

Getting off speed can be difficult. If you are struggling, speak with your doctor. They can advise you on treatment options, such as:

support groups
counselling and therapy
treatment with medicine
referral to an addiction specialist
detoxification and rehabilitation

Resources and support

You can find support and more information about speed through the organisations listed below.

The Alcohol and Drug Foundation website.

The Drug Help website or call the Alcohol Drug Information Service (ADIS) on 1800 250 015.

Turning Point — Australia's leading national addiction treatment, training and research centre.

Touchbase website for LGBTIQ+ Australians.

Narcotics Anonymous Australia on 1300 652 820.

Lifeline on 13 11 14.

See 'What are the effects of taking drugs?' on the Department of Health and Aged Care website for more information.

Find out more about how drugs and alcohol can impact your health.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.