Stimulants Fact Sheet
Essential, current information on cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulants for prevention professionals in Connecticut.
What are stimulants?
Stimulants speed up the central nervous system, raising heart rate, blood pressure, energy, and alertness while producing euphoria. They include illicit drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine and prescription medications like Adderall® and Ritalin® that can be misused.
Illicit stimulants
- Cocaine, in powder or crack form
- Methamphetamine (crystal meth), an extremely potent synthetic
- MDMA / Ecstasy, with stimulant and hallucinogenic effects
Prescription stimulants
- Amphetamines (Adderall®, Dexedrine®)
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin®, Concerta®)
- Prescribed for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy
- Frequently misused as “study drugs,” especially by students
Common street names
Cocaine: Coke, Blow, Snow, Powder, Rock (crack).
Meth: Crystal, Ice, Glass, Crank, Speed, Tina.
Prescription: Addies, Study Drugs, Smart Pills.
A sharp rise in Connecticut
Even as opioid deaths fall, cocaine involvement has climbed every year. Figures are from the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) for 2024; see the live CT overdose dashboard.1
- Cocaine involvement climbed from 38.5% of CT overdose deaths in 2020 to a peak of 59.7% in 2024, its highest share on record.1
- It remains high in 2025 at 58.6%.1
- Most cocaine-involved deaths also involve opioids, especially fentanyl.1
- Stimulant-opioid combinations are especially deadly because naloxone reverses only the opioid component.1
Polysubstance use is the real story
Nationally in 2024, 21,945 overdose deaths involved cocaine and 28,722 involved psychostimulants such as methamphetamine, out of 79,384 overdose deaths in all. A CDC analysis of January 2021 through June 2024 found that 59% of overdose deaths involved stimulants, and 43.1% involved stimulants and opioids together. About 4.9 million Americans used cocaine and 2.7 million used methamphetamine, while about 3.9 million misused prescription stimulants, per the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many people are unknowingly exposed to fentanyl through contaminated stimulants. A stimulant can also mask an opioid's sedating effects, which makes it easier to take too much.2
What makes stimulants dangerous
Stimulants flood the body with dopamine and norepinephrine, straining the heart, brain, and body temperature regulation. Unlike opioids, there is no reversal medication.
Short-term effects
- Racing heart, high blood pressure, fast breathing
- Euphoria, alertness, and energy
- Dangerously high body temperature (hyperthermia)
- Anxiety, panic, paranoia, or psychosis
- Irregular heartbeat, tremors, seizures
Long-term effects
- Heart disease, arrhythmia, and heart failure
- Chronic meth use: “meth mouth,” skin sores, weight loss
- Memory, attention, and decision-making problems
- Depression, anxiety, and psychosis
- Dependence, addiction, and higher suicide risk
Cardiovascular emergencies
Because stimulants raise heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature at once, they can trigger stroke, heart attack, and heat stroke, even in young, healthy people.
Treatment & recovery
There are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for stimulant use disorder, so behavioral therapies are the foundation of effective treatment (SAMHSA).4
Contingency management
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Community reinforcement & Matrix Model
Overdose prevention saves lives
Because the stimulant supply is often contaminated with fentanyl, overdose prevention is essential: carry naloxone, use fentanyl test strips, never use alone, and cool the body during overheating. Naloxone will not reverse a pure stimulant overdose, but give it whenever opioids may be involved.3
Key messages for prevention professionals
Cocaine is a top concern
It is a polysubstance crisis
Give naloxone anyway
Behavioral therapy works
Overdose prevention matters
Language matters
🚨 Stimulant Overdose Response
A stimulant overdose, sometimes called overamping, has no antidote, so act fast, cool the body, and get medical help. Call for help even if you are unsure.
Call first
Report the emergency, especially with chest pain, seizures, or unconsciousness.
Lower body temp
Move to a cool place, remove excess clothing, and apply cool water or cloths.
Give naloxone
If opioids may be involved (often the case), give naloxone right away.
Signs of a stimulant overdose
- Chest pain or tightness
- Very high body temperature and heavy sweating
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Severe agitation, paranoia, or psychosis
- Confusion, hallucinations, or seizures
- Loss of consciousness
Keep the person calm and cool, and stay until help arrives. Connecticut's Good Samaritan Law protects those who call 911 in good faith for an overdose.
Connecticut & national resources
DMHAS Naloxone & RBHAOs
Free naloxone and training from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs).
portal.ct.gov/dmhasCT Overdose Data Dashboard
Live CT overdose data from DPH, 2015 to present.
public.tableau.com (CT DPH)SAMHSA National Helpline
Free 24/7 treatment referral. 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
samhsa.gov/find-helpNIDA: Cocaine & Meth
Facts on cocaine and methamphetamine from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
nida.nih.govTTASC Online Learning
On-demand courses from the Prevention Training and Technical Assistance Service Center (TTASC).
preventiontrainingcenter.orgSources & further reading
Developed by TTASC in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services. For education only, and not a substitute for professional medical advice.