Understanding Substance Abuse and Drug Classifications

Understanding Alcohol and Drugs

What Are Drugs?

The World Health Organization defines drugs as any substance which, when introduced into the organism, may modify one or more of its features. These substances are capable of generating dependence, leading to behavioral changes and other responses that encourage taking the substance or substances in a sustained manner.

Classification and Effects of Drugs

1. Legal Drugs

Legal drugs are those that are permitted by the government. Due to their full availability and high social acceptance, they are what cause most diseases, some of which result in great economic and social costs. They include:

• Tobacco (Snuff): Obtained from a plant called Nicotiana tabacum.
• Xanthines: Both are stimulants of the Central Nervous System and vitality.
• Alcohol: Obtained from certain plants by fermentation and other chemical processes.
• Sedatives: Used medically to reduce anxiety or help with sleep; if used at high doses, they can cause coma and even death.

2. Illegal Drugs

Illegal drugs are not allowed by the government, and therefore their use is not legal.

• Opiates: These have a powerful capability for addiction.
• Heroin: Synthesized from morphine, it is taken intravenously and sometimes nasally inhaled as dust.
• Amphetamines: Used to decrease appetite, their use can overdrive hyperactivity.
• Cocaine: A synthetic substance in the form of white powder that is inhaled through the nose, creating a feeling of comfort, excitement, and euphoria.
• LSD: A semisynthetic alkaloid derived from a fungus.
• Hashish or Cannabis: Produced from the resin of hemp and rolled in cigarette paper, often mixed with tobacco (snuff), commonly called a "reefer" or "joint". Young people tend to smoke it for new sensations, but for many, it is the gateway to harder drugs.

Preferred Drugs Among Youth

Young drug users tend to use different drugs, often using as many as they can. It usually begins with alcoholic beverages; consumption often progresses from common wines to quality wines, brandy, cognac, whiskey, and more challenging cocktails. Similarly, for other drugs, the preferred initiation is typically cannabis in any form.