Login to Download the Guideline

Amphetamines and other stimulants are the second most widely used class of (illicit) drugs globally, after cannabis. Specifically, methamphetamine use is rising across the United States (US) and usage is at an all-time high, likely because it is stronger, cheaper and more readily available than ever before. No longer primarily illicitly “cooked” in makeshift labs in the US, methamphetamine is a manufactured amphetamine derivative most often sourced from mass producing laboratories in Mexico. Common street names include “crystal meth,” “crank,” “speed,” “Tina,” and “ice”. 

Contents of this pharmacist toolkit include: 

  • Screening
  • Diagnosis
  • Methamphetamine Intoxication and Pharmacotherapy
  • Methamphetamine Withdrawal and Pharmacotherapy
  • Maintenance Treatment
  • Special Populations and Co-occurring Disorders Including Psychiatric Disorders
  • Harm Reduction Strategies
  • Resources
  • References

Authored by AAPP members James Gasper, PharmD, BCPP, and Talia Puzantian, PharmD, BCPP, this guide is intended to highlight both the evidence base available as well as strategies of clinical decision making used by expert clinicians.