Frequency of use or abuse of amphetamine-related drugs.

A survey was done on over 10,000 urine samples from the Los Angeles County Probation Department and methadone maintenance programs to determine the frequency of use of eight sympathomimetic amine drugs including amphetamine, methamphetamine, ephedrine, mephentermine, phendimetrazine, beta-phenethylamine, phenmetrazine, and phentermine. As expected, the frequency of use of amphetamine was relatively high followed by phentermine, ephedrine, and methamphetamine. The extensive use of ephedrine and phentermine may warrant testing for these drugs on a more routine basis in drug monitoring programs.