Speed Poeder (Amphetamine)

Amphetamine was first made in 1887 by Lazar Edeleanu at the University of Berlin, where it was known as phenylisopropylamine. What it did to people was unnoticed, and it was almost forgotten about for four decades. In 1927, Gordon Alles would make amphetamine again, this time seeking an alternative to ephedrine. He would discover its effects, and by 1932 it was being sold as Benzedrine, an over the counter inhaler used to treat breathing problems.

Speed is sold as a powder by the gram. According to the Dutch testing service DIMS, amphetamine made up 5.2% of all drugs submitted in 2023 at an average cost of 9.30 euro per gram. Half of the samples were between 5 and 10 euro per gram. This is roughly a fifth of the price of cocaine submitted in the same testing.

Caffeine was the most frequently found adulterant in Dutch speed powders in 2023. Like speed, caffeine is a stimulant, so the cut sample features two stimulants in an unknown ratio.

The stimulant effects DIMS lists are increased energy, delayed fatigue and suppressed appetite. The EU Drugs Agency also notes that amphetamine increases confidence and sociability, with effects felt within about thirty minutes of taking it.