ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the amphetamines, cathinones, and cocaine. The history of amphetamines and cathinones usage in the United States is quite distinct. Amphetamine abuse first became an issue in the United States in the 1940s. This was the result of the introduction and promotion of amphetamine, marketed under the trade name of Benzadrine in the 1930s, for various medical problems, ranging from congestion to depression to weight loss. With few exceptions, the use and clinical effects of amphetamines and cathinones are similar. They can be taken orally, injected intravenously, insufflated into the nose, or inhaled via the lungs. They can also be absorbed through vaginal and rectal mucosal surfaces when placed in these orifices to conceal these substances. Due to their prevalence as illicit substances in homes, stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine are often involved in suspected child abuse or neglect cases.
