Dangerous Drugs

General Classification of Drugs

Classifying drugs by chemical similarities is useful because drugs that are
chemically similar often have similar impacts and risks. An individual who is
addicted to a given drug is more likely to abuse a chemically similar drug.
Also, the same treatment is often effective for chemically similar drugs.
Despite these generalities, chemically similar drugs may have very different
legal and medical impacts.
 According to effect
• Many people classify drugs by how they impact the mind and body. Some
drugs have a tendency to make a user active and energetic, while others
make an individual feel relaxed and calm. These types of substances
might be described as “uppers” and “downers,” respectively .
 The dangerous drugs according to
medical parmatology
• DREs classify drugs in one of seven categories: central nervous system
(CNS) depressants, CNS stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative
anesthetics, narcotic analgesics, inhalants, and cannabis.
 Classification
Drugs Class A- Heroin, lysergide (LSD), ecstasy, amphetamines (prepared
for injection), cocaine, crack cocaine, magic mushrooms Class B-
Amphetamines, methamphetamine, barbiturates, codeine Class C-
Cannabis, temazepam, anabolic steroids, valium, ketamine, methylphenidate
(Ritalin), γ-hydroxy butyrate (GHB
General Classification of Drugs
According to legal categories
• How drugs are classified Drugs are put into one of three categories,
according to how dangerous they are and the impact they have on
society - not necessarily the individual. It’s worth remembering that
different drugs affect people in different ways. Drugs in all classes, not
just those in ‘Class A’, are very dangerous. The three categories of drugs
are Class A, Class B and Class C: heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and LSD are
Class A drugs speed, cannabis, ketamine, mephedrone and some
amphetamines are Class B drugs anabolic steroids, GHB and some
tranquilisers are Class C drugs “Temporary Class Drug Banning Orders”
are for psychoactive substances (sometimes mislabelled as legal highs).
The chemical composition of these new substances changes quickly. A
temporary banning order allows a substance to be banned until analysis
can be carried out to assess the potential risks to human health.
Commonly abuse drugs.
• Marijuana.
• Cocaine.
• Opiates.
• Methamphetamine.
• Alcohol.
Marijuana.
• This mild hallucinogen, derived from the Cannabis
sativa plant, is the most commonly abused illegal drug in
the United States, according to the National Institute on
Drug Abuse. When used, usually through smoking,
marijuana acts as a central nervous system stimulant. “It
speeds up heart rate and raises blood pressure,” Dr.
Collins says. “It can stimulate the nervous system enough
that some people become paranoid while taking it.” At the
same time, marijuana can dull memory, making it harder
to concentrate or remember things.
Cocaine.
•  A powerful, addictive stimulant, cocaine gives users a
euphoric feeling when ingested, which, depending on the
person, may or may not actually feel good. “Some people
experience that rush as very pleasurable, but others don’t
like it,” Collins says. The euphoric feeling is short-lived,
lasting anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes.
Opiates.
• These drugs, which include both street drugs like heroin
and pharmaceutical painkillers like morphine and codeine
, act on the body’s central nervous system by stimulating
the brain’s “reward center,” which controls pleasurable
feelings. Opiates mimic the effects of healthy feel-good
activities, like having sex or eating. However, in high
doses, opiates can cause some of the brain’s critical
functions, like breathing, to slow down or stop working. In
an overdose “the brain shuts off the ‘thermostat’ that
drives respiration,” Collins says. “The person goes into a
coma and dies.”
Methamphetamine.
• Usually a white powder that is smoked, snorted, or
injected, this powerful stimulant is highly addictive. Like
cocaine, methamphetamine (often known simply as
"meth") can speed up the heart, as well as cause
hyperthermia, an extremely high body temperature. When
used over a long period of time, methamphetamine can
cause anxiety, insomnia, and even psychotic symptoms,
like hallucinations. Severe dental problems can also
occur; the drug is acidic and can wear down teeth over
time. Users often grind their teeth as well, further
damaging them.
Alcohol..
• Moderate consumption of alcohol is safe for most people,
but heavier use can lead to problems. Over the long term,
having more than one alcoholic drink per day for women
or anyone over 65 or two drinks per day for men under 65
can increase a person's risk of developing medical
conditions like pancreatitis and liver and heart disease.
Three most popular sources of
dangerous drugs.
• Marijuana
Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems,
and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa.
The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-
tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related
compounds. Extracts can also be made from the
cannabis plant.
• Painkillers
Analgesics, also called painkillers, are medications that
relieve different types of pain — from headaches to
injuries to arthritis. Anti-inflammatory analgesics reduce
inflammation, and opioid analgesics change the way the
brain perceives pain.
• Cocaine
Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant drug made
from the leaves of the coca plant native to South
America.