Facts about Drugs

A drug, in a broad sense, is any substance that, when ingested or absorbed into the body, alters normal bodily functions. There is no single definition of a drug, as there are different meanings, presented by government bodies, various organizations, and the field of medicine, society and drug control law. In the simplest sense, however, drugs can be classified in two extremely broad categories: illegal drugs, that are taken or distributed for recreational purposes and legal drugs, or medicines that are taken to subdue ailments or medical conditions. 

It is crucial to observe and understand the thin line that exists with drug use; when taken to fight ailments or subdue medical conditions, ingesting drugs is recommended in accordance with a medical professional’s advice or opinion, however, a dependency on recreational or illegal drugs, such as cocaine, marijuana or heroine for instance, can yield adverse and life-altering side effects. The following list will provide facts about drugs, including background information and the substance’s adverse side effects. 

Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is taken from the leaves of the cocoa plant. To produce cocaine, the leaves of the plant are dried, pulverized and reduced to powder form. Although cocaine is a byproduct of the cocoa leaf, it is typically synthetically altered. 

Cocaine is a potent nervous system stimulant that will carry effects for its users for a timeframe between 15-30 minutes depending on the method of ingestion. When ingested, cocaine immediately increases alertness, feelings of well-being and euphoria, as well as energy and motor activity. Chronic use of cocaine will damage brain cells and prevent them from functionally adapting to the strong imbalances of transmitter levels.

Marijuana is a naturally occurring, controlled-substance which is classified as a plant that sprouts from Marijuana seeds; when answering the question of ‘How to grow Marijuana?’ individuals granted the expressed permission to grow Marijuana do so upon the employment of a cross-fertilization process. Users of marijuana will experience a relaxed high; however, the drug may perpetuate anxiety, paranoia, an altered sense of self, as well as a voracious appetite. Additionally, the drug may impede an individual from carrying out daily tasks.

Heroin is a byproduct of opium; upon the extraction of morphine – which is inherent to the naturally-occurring Poppy Plant – this substance can be ingested in a variety of methods. Despite the effects of Heroin, which have been classified as a sedating and numbing, Heroin is considered to be one of the most addictive drugs in circulation. 

The dangers of Heroin are vast; they can range from psychological devastation to physical damage. Consistent Heroin usage results in an advanced tolerance to the drug on the part of the user, requiring them to gradually increase the amount of the drug needed to achieve the desired results – the has accounted for a multitude of Heroin-related death as a resulting from an overdose of the drug.

Methamphetamine – also known as ‘Meth’ – is a chemical-based drug that can be created from a variety of toxic chemicals that are considered to be deadly upon human ingestion. Meth has been held responsible for a variety of crimes, changes in behavior, injuries, and deaths resulting from its usage; Meth is considered to be one of the most addictive drugs currently in circulation. Meth users will experience an initial sense of energy, which can last for undisclosed amounts of time; subsequent to a Meth high, there have been reports of users experiencing insomnia, rage, nausea, harmful behavior, and an inability to controls one’s thoughts or actions