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3-Fluoroamphetamine (3-FA) is a synthetic ring-substituted fluorinated amphetamine compound that produces potent classical stimulant effects that has been claimed to be “almost equipotent” with methamphetamine. It is one part of a series of designer fluorinated amphetamine analogs such as 2-FA, 2-FMA, 3-FEA, and 4-FA that are known for their euphoric and stimulating effects and growing popularity as research chemical substitutes for classical street stimulants.

3-FA is rarely found on the streets, and only sometimes sold as a grey market research chemical through online vendors.

clinical data

3-FA dosage table

3-FA effect progress

Chemistry

3-FA, or 3-Fluoroamphetamine, is a synthetic molecule of the amphetamine class. Molecules of the amphetamine class contain a phenethylamine core featuring a phenyl ring bound to an amino (NH2) group through an ethyl chain with an additional methyl substitution at R_α (i.e. amphetamines are alpha-methylated phenethylamines). 3-FA does not contain a methyl group bound to the terminal amine R_N of the amphetamine core, which renders it structurally and functionally similar to amphetamine. 3-FA is the 3-fluorinated analogue of amphetamine.

Toxicity

The toxicity and long-term health effects of recreational 3-FA use do not seem to have been studied in any scientific context and the exact toxic dosage is unknown. This is because 3-FA has an extremely short history of human usage. Anecdotal evidence from people who have tried 3-FA within the community suggests that there do not seem to be any negative health effects attributed to simply trying this drug at low to moderate doses by itself and using it sparingly (but nothing can be completely guaranteed).

It is perhaps worth noting that in the field of medicinal chemistry, the fluorine substitution is sometimes seen as desirable in central nervous system pharmaceutical agents, and is a common practice due to the corresponding increase in lipophilicity granted by the substitute.

Regardless, due to its novelty and unstudied nature, it is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when experimenting with this substance.

Tolerance

As with other stimulants, the chronic use of 3-FA can be considered moderately addictive with a high potential for abuse and is capable of causing psychological dependence among a certain population of users. When dependence or addiction has developed, cravings and withdrawal effects may occur if a person suddenly stops their usage.

Tolerance to many of the effects of 3-FA develops with prolonged and repeated use. This results in users having to administer increasingly large doses to achieve the same effects. After that, it takes about 3 – 7 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 1 – 10 days to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). 3-FA presents cross-tolerance with all dopaminergic stimulants, meaning that after the consumption of 3-FA all stimulants will have a reduced effect (especially including atypical stimulants one might not expect, like MDMA due to its reliance on dopamine and norepinephrine to exert its full euphoric effect).

Given its close equipotency to methamphetamine, it likely shares similar toxicity profiles, though this has yet to be scientifically validated.

Psychosis

Abuse of compounds within the amphetamine chemical class at high dosages for prolonged periods of time can potentially result in a stimulant psychosis that may present with a variety of symptoms (e.g., paranoia, hallucinations, or delusions). A review on treatment for amphetamine, dextroamphetamine, and methamphetamine abuse-induced psychosis states that about 5–15% of users fail to recover completely. The same review asserts that, based upon at least one trial, antipsychotic medications effectively resolve the symptoms of acute amphetamine psychosis. Psychosis very rarely arises from therapeutic use.

Legal issues

3-FA is currently a grey area compound within all parts of the world, meaning its regulation lies in a legal grey area and that it is not known to be specifically illegal (“scheduled”) within any country. However, people may still be charged for its possession under certain circ*mstances such as under analogue laws and with intent to sell or consume.