Drug

This article is about chemical substances. For other meanings of the word "drug", see Drug (disambiguation)

A drug is any substance that can be used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process or processes in the body. The word "drug" is ethymologically derived from the Dutch/Low German word "droog", which means "dry", since in the past, most drugs were dried plant parts.

Terminology

The term "drug" is necessarily a vague one, being defined by intent: for example, foods consumed for normal metabolism are not generally considered "drugs", but the same foods consumed for a more specific purpose (such as the use of alcohol as a depressant or caffeine as a stimulant) may be. Depending on the definition used, the same substance may even be considered both a food and a drug at the same time. The term "medication" is frequently applied to drugs used for medical treatment, presumably to avoid conflation with recreational drugs.

In the United States, drugs that must be prescribed are distributed by pharmacies, which in turn purchase drugs from pharmaceutical companies. Most drugs are extremely expensive when first distributed. When the patent for the drug runs out, a generic is usually created by a competing company and released, causing the price to drop markedly. Drugs which don't have to be prescribed are known as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and can be sold in stores.

Classification

Drugs may be classified in many different ways, according to mechanism of action, effects, or even legal status.

• Analgesic (painkiller) drugs
  • Non-NSAID antipyretics
    • Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol, or under one of its trade names Tylenol), which can cause liver problems due to chronic use
  • NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) which are non-sedating (unlike opiates), but can cause internal bleeding, among other problems
    • Aspirin or ASA (acetylsalicylic acid), which is also an antipyretic
    • Ibuprofen (also known under the trade names Advil, Motrin, Nuprin and Brufen)
  • Opioids, powerful, addictive narcotic painkillers which are also used recreationally for their euphoric effects
    • Opiates refined from the opium poppy
      • Morphine
      • Codeine
    • Synthetic and semi-synthetic opioids
      • Heroin
      • Oxycodone (sold under the brand name Oxycontin, and contained in Percocet)
      • Vicodin
      • Demerol
      • Darvocet
      • Tramadol
      • Fentanyl
• Recreational drugs usually used to alter mood or body function for recreation
  • Alcohol
  • Nicotine
  • Caffeine
  • Hallucinogens (including LSD, Magic mushrooms and Dissociative drugs)
  • Cannabis
  • MDMA
  • GHB
  • Heroin
  • Cocaine
  • Inhalants
• Entheogenic drugs usually used to promote a mystical or shamanistic experience
  • Magic mushrooms
  • Peyote
  • Ayahuasca
  • Amanita muscaria
  • Salvia divinorum
  • Datura
• Performance-enhancing drugs (for sport or combat).
  • Amphetamine
  • Ephedrine
  • Cocaine
  • Anabolic steroids
• Lifestyle drugs used to enhance quality of life by addressing typically non-serious conditions
  • Viagra
  • Rogaine
  • Antidepressants are sometimes, but incorrectly, classed as lifestyle drugs
• Psychiatric drugs (see also psychopharmacology)
  • Antidepressants
    • Prozac
    • Paxil
  • Tranquilizers
    • Typical antipsychotic tranquilizers
      • Thorazine
    • Atypical antipsychotic tranquilizers
  • Sedatives
    • Valium

Regulations

Usage of most of drugs is regulated to some extent. While details vary with location, these are somewhat usual regulations in the Western world:

Not regulated:

• Caffeine

Regulated to some extent (age or labeling requirements, for example) but available over the counter:

• DXM/dextromethorphan
• Acetylsalicylic acid (such as aspirin)
• Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) (such as Tylenol)
• Alcohol (although in some nations with an Islamic background, alcohol is prohibited)
• Nicotine
• Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine (illegal in US since Jan 2004)
• Taurine

Prescription drugs, prohibited for non-medical use:

• Cocaine
• Codeine
• GHB
• Amphetamines
• Anabolic steroids
• Inhalants
• Methadone
• Morphine

Varies from tolerated to prohibited for medical use:

• Cannabis
• Salvia divinorum (prohibited in Australia, tolerated elsewhere)

Varies from prohibited for non-medical use to prohibited for any use

• Heroin
• MDMA

Prohibited for any use, no medical uses currently allowed

• LSD

UN documents

Three international UN treaties regulate drugs laws:

• UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs from 1961, see http://www.incb.org/e/conv/1961/index.htm
• UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances from 1971, see http://www.incb.org/e/conv/1971/index.htm
• UN Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances from 1988, see http://www.incb.org/e/conv/1988/index.htm

The UN Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (http://www.undcp.org/) is charged with overseeing these treaties and maintains a list of signatory nations at http://www.undcp.org/treaty_adherence.html.

See also

• Drug addiction
• Medication
• Narcotic
• Illegal drug trade
• Route of administration
• 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act
• Responsible Drug User's Oath
• Pregnancy category (pharmaceutical)
• Herbalism
• Traditional Chinese medicine

External links

• United Nations Drug Control (http://www.tni.org/drugsungass/index.htm) A critical review of the United Nations drug control system (Transnational Institute)
• Dutch Jellinek clinic (http://www.jellinek.nl/brain/index.html) Shows the micro biological effect of several kinds of drugs on brain cells, using flash animation's.

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