Drug: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

For other meanings, see Drug (disambiguation)

A drug is any substance that can be used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose. The term 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.

• Pharmaceutical medications (for example, to treat injury or disease). See Pharmacology.

• Analgesic (painkiller) drugs
  • Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid
  • Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol or under its trade name Tylenol)
  • Ibuprofen (also known under the trade names Advil, Motrin, Nuprin and Brufen)
  • Opiates
    • Morphine
    • Heroin
    • Codeine

Opiates are also used as recreational drugs. They are addictive.

Acetaminophen and other non-opiate painkillers are often used in drug mixes for recreational purposes.

• Recreational drugs (to alter mood or body function for recreation).
  • Alcohol
  • Nicotine
  • Caffeine
  • Hallucinogens
  • Cannabis
  • MDMA
  • GHB
  • Heroin
  • Cocaine
  • Inhalants
  • dissociative drugs

• Performance-enhancing drugs (for sport or combat).
  • Amphetamine
  • Ephedrine
  • Cocaine
  • Anabolic steroids

Many enhancing drugs are also used for recreational purposes.

Regulations

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

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

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.

"Everything is a drug; it depends on the dose."