Classifications of Drugs, Sources of Drugs and Drug Abuse

What is Drug?

A drug is any substance that causes physiological and or mental changes in the body. In this regard, any chemical substance that isn't food which changes how the body or brain works is termed drug. Drugs are medicines that can heal sickness, ease pain, and change the mood or behavior of an individual. Drugs (or herbs) that are used in the treatment and prevention of diseases are called medicines.

Drugs can be grouped as licit or illicit in a society. Drugs produced, sold and used legally are called licit drugs. They are legal substances approved by governments for medical, commercial, or social use. They include prescription medicines like aspirin, paracetamol, chloroquine, etc. They also include legal social substances like alcohol, caffeine, and tobacco. However, note that the aforementioned legal social substances have a tendency to be abused, and can thus carry potential health risks when abused.

Please read on drug trafficking here.

Drugs that are sold and used illegally are termed illicit drugs. Illicit drugs are substances forbidden by law, and as a result cannot be produced, possessed, sold or bought in a pharmacy. Examples include cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, etc.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is a federal body in Nigeria responsible for stopping the production, sale, and trafficking of illegal hard drugs. They seize and destroy large quantities of these illegal substances.

Please read on drug abuse in adolescents and its causes here.

Types of Drugs

Drugs are grouped into various types based on how they affect the body. Below are types of drugs, their uses and examples:

• Stimulants: These are drugs that speed up the nervous system by transmitting impulses and messages between the brain and the effector organ of the body.  As a result, stimulants make us feel more active, alive and increases blood pressure. Examples of stimulant drugs include include cocaine, caffeine, crack, nicotine and methamphetamine.

• Depressants: These drugs act contrary to the stimulants by slowing down the activities of the nervous system. As a result, they bring about sleepiness, relaxation of the body, and decrease in blood pressure. Examples of depressant drugs include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, alcohols and GHB. 

• Hallucinogens: These are drugs that alters how an individual perceive reality, consequently causing them to hear, feel and see things that are unrealistic or unreal. Simply put, hallucinogens bring about hallucinations. Examples of hallucinogens include magic mushrooms, LSD and ketamine. 

You can read an introduction to the human brain here.

•  Opioids: These are drugs that block pain signals; and as a result, causing feelings of relaxation, intense excitement, or happiness, consequently making them addictive. Examples of opioids include tramadol, codeine, heroin, fentanyl and morphine.

• Inhalants: These are substances whose chemical vapor affects how the brain works when inhaled. Examples of inhalants include laughing gas, aerosol sprays containing butane or propane, and volatile solvents containing toluene, xylene, acetone, or hexane.

•  Prescription or Medical Drugs: These are drugs used to treat illnesses, medical health conditions, manage symptoms, contain the spread of pathogens and prevent diseases. They are usually recommended by a medical doctor or pharmacist. Examples of prescription drugs include antibiotics (for the treatment of bacterial and viral infections), analgesics (for killing pains), and ACE inhibitors (for treating blood pressure and heart medications).

Please read on balanced diet, food classes and their Importance here.

Sources of Drugs

The sources of drugs is defined as the parent and original natural materials, alongside the biological and chemical processes through which drugs are discovered and manufactured for the treatment, cure or prevention of diseases. The sources of drugs include the following:

• Plant Sources: These drugs are derived and extracted from the different parts of a plant such the roots, stem, leaves, flowers, branches, bark, etc. For example, cocaine is derived from a plant's leaf, ginseng root from a plant's root, and codeine from a plant's flower.

• Animal Sources: These drugs are derived from different structures and fluid of animals such as hormones, enzymes, proteins, oils, tissues and organs. For example, cod liver oil is derived from a fish's liver, the pancreas of cows and pigs are used in the production of insulin, and the thyroid from a sheep thyroid tissue can be extracted to treat thyroid hormone deficiency in humans.

• Fungi: Drugs made from fungi include antibiotics (e.g penicillin and griseofulvin), neurological and psychoactive compounds (e.g psilocybin) and immunosuppressants (e.g mycophenolic acid and cyclosporine).

You can read on the characteristics of living things in basic science here.

• Monerans: These drugs are made from bacteria cell, and are typically antibiotics. They include drugs like tetracycline, streptomycin, erythromycin, polymyxin B and vancomycin.

• Synthetic Materials: These drugs are created artificially in the laboratory from chemical raw materials termed precursors; alongside various industrial solvents, acids, and reagents. Examples of synthetic drugs include paracetamol, aspirin, fentanyl, molly, etizolam and kush

You can read on nutrition, types and class of food here.

Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is defined as the unauthorized, harmful, excessive or habitual use of drugs. Drug abuse is also defined as the incorrect use of legal drugs (that is; prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications). It also refers to the use of illegal drugs.

From the above definition, an individual can become involved in drug abuse via the following ways:

• Habitual or unauthorized taking of drugs.

• Use of illegal drugs.

• Taking prescription drugs without recommendations from a medical doctor or pharmacist.

• Excessive use of drugs like alcohol and tobacco.

• Overusing common store-bought remedies  so as to feel to feel different.

You can read on nutrition, types and class of food here.

Effects of Drug Abuse

The abuse of drugs have a variety of adverse effects on the body. They include the following:

• Damage of various systems in the body. For example, the abuse of drugs may cause damage to the circulatory system, respiratory system, reproductive system, endocrine system and excretory system.

• It can cause mental and psychological effects such as schizophrenia, memory loss, mood disorders and hallucinations,

• It may initial or influence the breakdown of a relationship between two individuals.

• Since these drugs may be quite addictive, they may consequently bring about financial instability, bankruptcy, debt accumulation, and perhaps criminal activities like theft.

• Students who are involved the drug abuse may join bad gangs and activities like cultism. They may also be expelled from their respective academic institution when caught. Please read on the consequences and solutions to cultism here.

• Drug abuse may eventually lead to the death of an individual involved in it.

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