Illegal Drugs
What are illegal drugs?
As the name implies, illegal drugs are drugs that are not legal in nature. These drugs cannot be sold openly on the street, in a pharmaceutical, or any other place for that matter. Illegal drugs are illegal because they are harmful to the human constitution.
Why do people use illegal drugs?
People seek out and use illegal drugs mostly to procure pleasure. Most illegal drugs such as cocaine or marijuana are highly pleasurable drugs. Once ingested into the body, these drugs produce a feeling of happiness and well-being, as well as increased confidence and a sense of personal power. Often, they will also produce hallucinations, although the hallucinations themselves can be somewhat less than gratifying.
What is tolerance?
When a drug user uses a certain drug on a regular basis, the body starts to build a tolerance level to that drug. In other words, the body gets used to the drug, in effect taking away some of its potency inside the body. For instance, if a cocaine user has to ingest one gram to get his “high” and does it for a week, he may have to take 1.5 grams the following week to achieve the same level of ecstasy. As time goes by, the level needed to produce the wanted effects grow larger and larger.
What is withdrawal?
After the body has adapted to the illegal drugs, it actively seeks it out. When the body is not administered with the drug, adverse physical and mental reactions occur. Such reactions include nausea, vomiting, uncontrollable shaking and twitching, and hallucinations. The effects of withdrawal can be avoided by taking more of the drug, or by completely stopping drug use and allowing the body to adjust to the absence of the drug. The process of stopping drug use is known colloquially as “going cold turkey.”
Disclaimer: Cliff Schaffer does not personally endorse or support any of the comments made within the writings of this article. |
|
Library Archives
Schaffer Library
|