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Encyclopedia > Drug addictions

The neutrality of this article is disputed.
Please see the discussion on the talk page.

Drug addiction, substance dependence or chemical dependency is the compulsive use of psychoactive drugs, to the point where the user has no effective choice but to continue use. The phenomenon of drug addiction has occurred to some degree throughout recorded history (see "opium"), though modern agricultural practices, improvements in access to drugs, and advancements in biochemistry have exacerbated the problem significantly in the 20th century with the introduction of purified forms of active biological agents, and with the synthesis of hitherto unknown substances, such as methamphetamine. Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ... For other things named OCD, see OCD (disambiguation). ... A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior. ... Addiction is chronic disorder proposed to be precipitated by a combination of genetic, biological/pharmacological and social factors. ... For other senses of this word, see history (disambiguation). ... Opium is a narcotic analgesic drug which is obtained from the unripe seed pods of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L. or the synonym paeoniflorum). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Methamphetamine (pharmaceutically referred to as methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine) is a psychostimulant drug used primarily for recreational purposes, but is sometimes prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy under the brand name Desoxyn. ...


The alleged addictive nature of drugs varies from substance to substance, and from individual to individual. Drugs such as codeine or alcohol, for instance, typically require many more exposures to addict their users than drugs such as heroin or cocaine. Likewise, a person who is psychologically or genetically predisposed to addiction is much more likely to suffer from it. This article is about the drug. ... In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article is about the drug cocaine. ... Genetics (from the Greek genno γεννώ= give birth) is the science of genes, heredity, and the variation of organisms. ...


Although dependency on hallucinogens like LSD otherwise known as "acid" and psilocybin is listed as Substance-Related Disorder in the DSM-IV, most psychologists do not classify them as addictive drugs. Experts on addiction say that the use of LSD and psilocybin causes neither psychological nor physical dependency [citation needed]. Many users report feeling less desire to use these drugs after every use [citation needed]. For other uses, see LSD (disambiguation). ... Psilocybin (also known as psilocybine), is a psychedelic alkaloid of the tryptamine family. ... The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th. ...


There is anecdotal evidence which emerges of psychological addiction to recreational psychedelics such as MDMA (Ecstasy) and Ketamine. Because of the tendency for pills sold on the street as "ecstacy" to contain other drugs such as cocaine or speed, this can make the drug significantly more addictive if it is snorted through the nose [citation needed]. ecstasy and religious ecstasy MDMA, most commonly known today by the street name ecstasy, is a synthetic entactogen of the phenethylamine family whose primary effect is to stimulate the brain to rapidly secrete large amounts of serotonin, causing a general sense of openness, empathy, energy, euphoria, and well-being. ... For the collaborative acoustic project, see Katamine. ...


Drug addiction has two components: physical dependency, and psychological dependency. Physical dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the body has become accustomed to its effects. The person must then continue to use the drug in order to feel normal, or its absence will trigger the symptoms of withdrawal. Psychological dependency occurs when a drug has been used habitually and the mind has become emotionally reliant on its effects, either to elicit pleasure or relieve pain, and does not feel capable of functioning without it. Its absence produces intense cravings, which are often brought on or magnified by stress. A dependent person may have either aspects of dependency, but often has both. [citation needed] With regard to living things, a body is the integral physical material of an individual, and contrasts with soul, personality and behavior. ... Psychology (ancient Greek: psyche = soul and logos = word) is the study of mind, thought, and behaviour. ... Withdrawal refers to the characteristic signs and symptoms that appear when a drug that causes a physical dependency is regularly used for a long time and then suddenly discontinued or decreased in dosage. ... now. ...


"Chipping" is also a term used to describe a pattern of drug use in which the user is not physically dependent and sustains 'controlled use' of a drug. This is done by avoiding influences that reinforce dependence, such that the drug is used for relaxation and not for escape.

Contents


The basis for addiction

Scientists have long accepted that there is a biological basis for drug addiction, though the exact mechanisms responsible are only now being identified. It is believed that addictive substances create dependence in the user by changing the brain's reward functions, located in the mesolimbic dopamine system—the part of the brain that reinforces certain behaviors such as eating, sexual intercourse, exercise, and social interaction. Addictive substances, through various means and to different degrees, cause the synapses of this system to flood with excessive amounts of dopamine, creating a brief rush of euphoria more commonly called a "high". Biology (from Greek βίος λόγος, see below) is the branch of science dealing with the study of life. ... The mesolimbic pathway is one of the neural pathways in the brain which links the ventral tegmentum area in the midbrain to the nucleus accumbens in the limbic system. ... Dopamine is a chemical naturally produced in the body. ... In general terms, eating (formally, ingestion) is the process of consuming something edible, i. ... Coition of a Hemisected Man and Woman (c. ... (for options, see option exercise) U.S. marine emerges from the water upon completing the swimming portion of the triathlon. ...


Although the high may last only a few minutes, it also produces more longer-lasting effects in the brain. Dopamine signals occurring normally in the reward system (traveling from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens) lead to the activation of proteins designed to calm the initial reaction and foster a continued desire to pursue the behavior responsible. Addictive substances create a greater than normal dopamine release, and the subsequent reactions of the brain are greatly exaggerated as well. The amygdala, hippocampus, and frontal cortex associate the use of the drug with intense pleasure and well-being; an association that is strengthened with each exposure, and which over time comes to dominate normal thoughts and desires. When cravings for the drug are no longer controllable, the user is considered addicted. (For a contrary view of drug addiction, see Rat Park.)' Comparative brain sizes In animals, the brain, or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system. ... The ventral tegmentum or the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is part of the midbrain, lying close to the substantia nigra and the red nucleus. ... The nucleus accumbens (also known as the accumbens nucleus or nucleus accumbens septi) is a collection of neurons located where the head of the caudate and the anterior portion of the putamen meet just lateral to the septum pellucidum. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The hippocampus is located in the medial temporal lobe of the brain. ... The frontal lobe is an area in the brain of vertebrates. ... Location of the cerebral cortex Slice of the cerebral cortex, ca. ... Dr. Bruce K. Alexander Rat Park was a 200 square foot (20 m²) housing colony built for a group of white Wister laboratory rats in 1981 by American psychologist Dr. Bruce K. Alexander at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. ...


There seems to be a genetic component to addiction. [1] Genetics (from the Greek genno γεννώ= give birth) is the science of genes, heredity, and the variation of organisms. ...


Pankaj Sah of Australian National University believes that chronic marijuana users are self medicating for anxiety problems. [2] In addition Dr. Lonny Shavelson, in his book "Hooked," has reported that 70% of female heroin addicts were sexually abused as children. [3]


Evolutionary psychology view of addiction

It is obvious that genes for addiction would not be directly selected. Since evolution theory claims that every physical and behavioral trait is a direct or side effect of selection, then the capacity to be addicted to drugs must be a side effect of something that was selected.


A number of writers including Keith Henson [4] have suggested that the capacity to be addicted to drugs is a side effect of social attention rewards. It is easy to understand how sensitivity to social rewards would evolve in social primates. For example, Jane Goodall's observation that chimpanzees who hunt get additional mating opportunities. The proposed evolved mechanism for social rewards is that attention causes the release of endorphins and dopamine into the brain's reward circuits. Keith Henson in Clearwater, Florida Howard Keith Henson (b. ... Jane Goodall Dame Valerie Jane Goodall, DBE (born April 3, 1934) is an English primatologist, ethologist and anthropologist, probably best-known for conducting a forty-five year study of chimpanzee social and family life, as director of the Jane Goodall Institute in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. ...


It seems that addictive drugs activate brain reward circuits that are normally activated by attention, without the need to kill a large, dangerous animal and drag it back to camp (or modern equivalents.)


In this view, the relative success of 12 step and related programs is due to the more natural social attention-rewards replacing drug-rewards.


The chemicals responsible

The CREB protein, a transcription factor activated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) immediately after a high, triggers genes that produce proteins such as dynorphin, which cuts off dopamine release and temporarily inhibits the reward circuit. In chronic drug users, a sustained activation of CREB leaves the user feeling depressed and dissatisfied, and unable to find pleasure in previously enjoyable activities, often leading to a return to the drug for an additional "fix". It also leads to a short term tolerance of the substance, necessitating that a greater amount be taken in order to reach the same high. CREB (top) is a transcription factor capable of binding DNA (bottom) and regulating gene expression. ... In molecular biology, a transcription factor is a protein that binds DNA at a specific promoter or enhancer region or site, where it regulates transcription. ... Structure of cAMP cAMP represented in three ways, the left with sticks-representation, the middle with structure formula, and the right with space filled representation. ... This stylistic schematic diagram shows a gene in relation to the double helix structure of DNA and to a chromosome (right). ... Dynorphin (Dyn) is a popular and powerful opioid ligand. ...


Another transcription factor, known as delta FosB, is thought to activate genes that, counter to the effects of CREB, actually increase the user's sensitivity to the effects of the substance. Delta FosB slowly builds up with each exposure to the drug and remains activated for weeks after the last exposure—long after the effects of CREB have faded. The hypersensitivity that it causes is thought to be responsible for the intense cravings associated with drug addiction, and is often extended to even the peripheral cues of drug use, such as related behaviors or the sight of drug paraphernalia. There is some evidence that delta FosB even causes structural changes within the nuclear accumbens, which presumably helps to perpetuate the cravings, and may be responsible for the high incidence of relapse that occur in treated drug addicts.


Regulator of G-protein Signaling 9-2 (RGS 9-2) has recently been the subject of several animal knockout studies. Animals lacking RGS 9-2 appear to have increased sensitivity to dopamine receptor agonists such as cocaine and amphetamines; over-expression of RGS 9-2 causes a lack of responsiveness to these same agonists. RGS 9-2 is believed to catalyze inactivation of the G-protein coupled D2 receptor by enhancing the rate of GTP hydrolysis of the G alpha subunit which transmits signals into the interior of the cell.


Mechanisms of effect

The mechanisms by which different substances activate the reward system vary among drug classes.

  • Depressants such as alcohol and benzodiazepines work by increasing concentrations of GABA in the brain. Narcotics such as morphine and methadone, work by mimicking endorphins—chemicals produced naturally by the body which have effects similar to dopamine—or by disabling the neurons that normally inhibit the release of dopamine. These substances (sometimes called "downers") typically facilitate relaxation and pain-relief.
  • Stimulants such as amphetamines, nicotine and cocaine increase dopamine signaling, either by directly stimulating its release, or by blocking its absorption (see "reuptake"). These substances (sometimes called "uppers") typically cause heightened alertness and energy.

The most common drug addictions are to legal substances such as: See also sedative. ... In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. ... alprazolam 2mg tablets The benzodiazepines are a class of drugs with sedative, hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, amnestic and muscle relaxant properties. ... Gaba may refer to: Gabâ or gabaa (Philippines), the concept of negative karma of the Cebuano people GABA, the gamma-amino-butyric acid neurotransmitter GABA receptor, in biology, receptors with GABA as their endogenous ligand Gaba 1 to 1, an English conversational school in Japan Marianne Gaba, a US model... The term narcotic, derived from the Greek word narkotikos, meaning benumbing or deadening, originally referred to a variety of substances that induced sleep (such state is narcosis). ... Morphine (INN) (IPA: ) is an extremely powerful opiate analgesic drug and is the principal active agent in opium. ... Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and in the treatment of narcotic addiction. ... Endorphins are endogenous opioid biochemical compounds. ... Drawing by Santiago Ramón y Cajal of neurons in the pigeon cerebellum. ... A stimulant is a drug that increases the activity of the sympathetic nervous system and produces a sense of euphoria or the feeling of being more awake. ... Amphetamine (alpha-methyl-phenethylamine), also known as speed, is a synthetic stimulant used to suppress the appetite, control weight, and treat disorders including narcolepsy and Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. ... Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), and green pepper. ... This article is about the drug cocaine. ... Reuptake is the reabsorption of a neurotransmitter by the molecular transporter of a pre-synaptic neuron after it has performed its function of transmitting a neural impulse. ...

Many prescription or over the counter drugs can become addictive if abused. Steroidal medications, for example, are extremely addictive. In addition, a large number of other substances are currently considered to have no medical value and are not available over the counter or by prescription. Depending on the jurisdiction, these drugs may be legal only as part of a government sponsored study, illegal to use for any purpose, illegal to sell, or even illegal to merely possess. In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. ... Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), and green pepper. ... Species Nicotiana acuminata Nicotiana alata Nicotiana attenuata Nicotiana benthamiana Nicotiana clevelandii Nicotiana excelsior Nicotiana forgetiana Nicotiana glauca Nicotiana glutinosa Nicotiana langsdorffii Nicotiana longiflora Nicotiana obtusifolia Nicotiana paniculata Nicotiana plumbagifolia Nicotiana quadrivalvis Nicotiana repanda Nicotiana rustica Nicotianasuaveolens Nicotiana sylvestris Nicotiana tabacum Nicotiana tomentosa Ref: ITIS 30562 as of August 26, 2005... A lit cigarette will burn to ash on one end. ... For other uses, see Caffeine (disambiguation). ... Tea leaves in a Chinese gaiwan. ... A cup of coffee Coffee is a popular beverage prepared from the roasted seeds (not beans, though they are almost always called coffee beans) of the coffee plant. ... A prescription drug (or POM Prescription Only Medicine, in UK) is a licensed medicine that is regulated by legislation to require a prescription before it can be obtained. ... See separate articles for over-the-counter trading and the medical condition Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency. ... Chemical structure of the natural anabolic hormone testosterone, 17b-hydroxy-4-androsten-3-one. ...


In 1972, United States President Richard Nixon declared a war on illegal drugs in an attempt to control the growing problem of drug addiction and drug-related crime. It is unclear, though, whether laws against drugs do anything to stem usage and dependency. In jurisdictions where addictive drugs are illegal, they are generally supplied by drug dealers, who are often involved with organized crime. Even though the cost of producing most illegal addictive substances is very low, their illegality combined with the addict's need permits the seller to command a premium price, often hundreds of times the production cost. As a result, the addict sometimes turns to crime to support their habit. 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Operation Mallorca, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, 2005 [1] Massive mark-ups for drugs, UK Govt report No significant impact on retail or wholesale prices, UK Govt report The War on Drugs is an initiative undertaken by the United States to carry out an all-out offensive (as President Nixon... These lollipops, above, were found to contain heroin when inspected by the US Drug Enforcement Administration In jurisdictions where legislation restricts or prohibits the sale of certain popular drugs, it is common for an illegal drugs trade to develop. ... Organized crime is crime carried out systematically by formal criminal organizations. ...


Recovery from drug addiction

Methods of recovery from addiction to drugs vary widely according to the types of drugs involved, amount of drugs used, duration of the drug addiction, medical complications and the social needs of the individual. Treatment is just as important for the addicted individual as for the significant others in the addicted individuals sphere of contact.


One of many recovery methods is the 12 Step recovery program, with prominent examples including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. They are commonly known and used for a variety of addictions for the individual addicted and the family of the individual. Substance-abuse rehabilitation (or "rehab") centers frequently offer a residential treatment program for the seriously addicted in order to isolate the patient from drugs and interactions with other users and dealers. Outpatient clinics usually offer a combination of individual counseling and group counseling. Frequently a physician or psychiatrist will assist with prescriptions to assist with the side effects of the addiction (the most common side effect that the medications can help is anxiety). People interested in not using drugs to detoxify from drugs should consider acupuncture detoxification. A twelve-step program is a fellowship which aims at the recovery of its members from the consequences of an addiction, a compulsion, or another harmful influence on their lives, with the help of the faith-based Twelve Steps. ... Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international community of Witchcraft and Sorceryalcoholics who meet in groups. ... The official logo of Narcotics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous (N.A.) is a twelve-step program designed to treat drug addiction, modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous. ... Substance-abuse rehabilitation is a process of medical and/or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances. ... Psychotherapy is a set of techniques believed to cure or to help solve behavioral and other psychological problems in humans. ... Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon (φάρμακον) meaning drug, and logos (λόγος) meaning science) is the study of how chemical substances interact with living systems. ... Acupuncture is widely used as an adjunct treatment for drug and alcohol addiction. ...


12 Step programs are the most common and well-known, but there are many other types of treatment programs. These other programs may use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Rational-Emotive Therapy, or other types of psychological behavior modification methods. Other forms of treatment involve replacement drugs such as methadone. Although methadone is itself addictive, opium dependency is often so strong that the gradual tapering of a less-addictive substance is the only way to reliably treat the user. Other treatments, such as acupuncture, may be used to help alleviate symptoms as well. Determining the best type of recovery program for an addicted person depends on a number of factors, including: personality, drug(s) of addiction, concept of spirituality or religion, mental or physical illness, and local availability and affordability of programs. Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and in the treatment of narcotic addiction. ... Acupuncture (from Lat. ...


Many different ideas circulate regarding what is considered a "successful" outcome in the recovery from addiction. It has widely been established that abstinence from addictive substances is generally accepted as a "successful" outcome.


Medical definitions

The 1957 World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Addiction-Producing Drugs defined addiction and habituation as components of drug abuse: Flag of World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations, acting as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... Drug abuse has a wide range of definitions, all of them relating to the use, misuse or overuse of a psychoactive drug or performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. ...

Drug addiction is a state of periodic or chronic intoxication produced by the repeated consumption of a drug (natural or synthetic). Its characteristics include: (i) an overpowering desire or need (compulsion) to continue taking the drug and to obtain it by any means; (ii) a tendency to increase the dose; (iii) a psychic (psychological) and generally a physical dependence on the effects of the drug; and (iv) detrimental effects on the individual and on society.

Drug habituation (habit) is a condition resulting from the repeated consumption of a drug. Its characteristics include (i) a desire (but not a compulsion) to continue taking the drug for the sense of improved well-being which it engenders; (ii) little or no tendency to increase the dose; (iii) some degree of psychic dependence on the effect of the drug, but absence of physical dependence and hence of an abstinence syndrome [withdrawal], and (iv) detrimental effects, if any, primarily on the individual.

In 1964, a new WHO committee found these definitions to be inadequate, and suggested using the blanket term 'drug dependence':

The definition of addiction gained some acceptance, but confusion in the use of the terms addiction and habituation and misuse of the former continued. Further, the list of drugs abused increased in number and diversity. These difficulties have become increasingly apparent and various attempts have been made to find a term that could be applied to drug abuse generally. The component in common appears to be dependence, whether psychic or physical or both. Hence, use of the term 'drug dependence', with a modifying phase linking it to a particular drug type in order to differentiate one class of drugs from another, had been given most careful consideration. The Expert Committee recommends substitution of the term 'drug dependence' for the terms 'drug addiction' and 'drug habituation'.

The committee did not clearly define dependence, but did go on to clarify that there was a distinction between physical and psychological ('psychic') dependence. It said that drug abuse was "a state of psychic dependence or physical dependence, or both, on a drug, arising in a person following administration of that drug on a periodic or continued basis." Psychic dependence was defined as a state in which "there is a feeling of satisfaction and psychic drive that requires periodic or continuous administration of the drug to produce pleasure or to avoid discomfort" and all drugs were said to be capable of producing this state:

There is scarcely any agent which can be taken into the body to which some individuals will not get a reaction satisfactory or pleasurable to them, persuading them to continue its use even to the point of abuse — that is, to excessive or persistent use beyond medical need.

The 1957 and 1964 definitions of addiction, dependence and abuse persist to the present day in medical literature. It should be noted that at this time (2006) the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM IVR) now spells out specific criteria for defining abuse and dependence.


In 2001, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the American Pain Society, and the American Society of Addiction Medicine jointly issued "Definitions Related to the Use of Opioids for the Treatment of Pain," which defined the following terms:

Addiction is a primary, chronic, neurobiologic disease, with genetic, psychosocial, and environmental factors influencing its development and manifestations. It is characterized by behaviors that include one or more of the following: impaired control over drug use, compulsive use, continued use despite harm, and craving.

Physical dependence is a state of adaptation that is manifested by a drug class specific withdrawal syndrome that can be produced by abrupt cessation, rapid dose reduction, decreasing blood level of the drug, and/or administration of an antagonist.

Tolerance is the body's physical adaptation to a drug: greater amounts of the drug are required over time to achieve the initial effect as the body "gets used to" and adapts to the intake.

Pseudoaddiction is a term which has been used to describe patient behaviors that may occur when pain is undertreated. Patients with unrelieved pain may become focused on obtaining medications, may “clock watch,” and may otherwise seem inappropriately “drug seeking.” Even such behaviors as illicit drug use and deception can occur in the patient's efforts to obtain relief. Pseudoaddiction can be distinguished from true addiction in that the behaviors resolve when pain is effectively treated.

Drugs considered to be addictive (Some may be debatable)

Adderall® CII is a pharmaceutical stimulant amphetamine used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and narcolepsy. ... In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. ... An analgesic (colloquially known as a painkiller) is any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain and to achieve analgesia. ... Barbiturates are drugs that act as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. ... Buprenorphine, also colloquially referred to as bupe, is an opioid drug with partial agonist and antagonist actions. ... Butorphanol (INN) is a morphinan-type synthetic opioid analgesic marketed in the US under the trade name Stadol. ... For other uses, see Caffeine (disambiguation). ... Chloral hydrate is a sedative and hypnotic drug, also known as trichloroacetaldehyde monohydrate, 2,2,2-trichloro-1,1-ethanediol, and the tradenames Aquachloral, Novo-Chlorhydrate, Somnos, Noctec, and Somnote. ... Trichloroethanol, 2,2,2-trichloroethanol, is an organic compound that contains an ethanol molecule where three chlorine atoms have replaced the terminal hydrogens. ... This article is about the drug cocaine. ... This article is about the drug. ... Dextropropoxyphene is an analgesic in the opioid category. ... Dextromethorphan (DM or DXM) is an antitussive drug that is found in many over-the-counter cold and cough preparations, usually in the form of dextromethorphan hydrobromide. ... Ethchlorvynol is a sedative and hypnotic drug. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... GHB redirects here. ... Glutethimide is a hypnotic sedative that was introduced in 1954 as a safe alternative to barbiturates to treat insomnia. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... It has been suggested that Vicodin be merged into this article or section. ... // Overview Hydromorphone is a drug used to relieve moderate to severe pain. ... For the collaborative acoustic project, see Katamine. ... A laxative is a preparation used for encouraging defecation, or the expulsion of feces. ... Pethidine (INN) or meperidine (USAN) (also referred to as: isonipecaine; lidol; operidine; pethanol; piridosal; Algil®; Alodan®; Centralgin®; Demerol®; Dispadol®; Dolantin®; Dolestine®; Dolosal®; Dolsin®; Mefedina®) is a fast-acting opioid analgesic drug. ... Meprobamate (marketed under the brand names Miltown® by Wallace Laboratories and Equanil® by Wyeth) is a carbamate derivative which is used as an anxiolytic drug. ... Methamphetamine (pharmaceutically referred to as methylamphetamine or desoxyephedrine) is a psychostimulant drug used primarily for recreational purposes, but is sometimes prescribed for ADHD and narcolepsy under the brand name Desoxyn. ... Amphetamine (alpha-methyl-phenethylamine), also known as speed, is a synthetic stimulant used to suppress the appetite, control weight, and treat disorders including narcolepsy and Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. ... Methaqualone tablets and capsules. ... Methadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and in the treatment of narcotic addiction. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Morphine (INN) (IPA: ) is an extremely powerful opiate analgesic drug and is the principal active agent in opium. ... Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants (Solanaceae), predominantly in tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomato, potato, eggplant (aubergine), and green pepper. ... OxyContin should not be confused with Oxytocin. ... Opium is a narcotic analgesic drug which is obtained from the unripe seed pods of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L. or the synonym paeoniflorum). ... An opioid is any agent that binds to opioid receptors, found principally in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. ... An opioid is any agent that binds to opioid receptors found principally in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract. ... Alprazolam is a short-acting drug in the benzodiazepine class used to treat anxiety disorders and as an adjunctive treatment for depression. ... Benzodiazepine tablets The benzodiazepines are a class of drugs with hypnotic, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, amnestic and muscle relaxant properties. ... Paraldehyde is the cyclic form of three acetaldehyde molecules (a trimer). ... Phencyclidine (a contraction of the chemical name phenylcyclohexylpiperidine), abbreviated PCP, is a dissociative drug formerly used as an anesthetic agent, exhibiting hallucinogenic and neurotoxic effects. ... Flunitrazepam (formerly marketed under the trade name Rohypnol in the United States) is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. ...

Addiction and drug control legislation

Most countries have legislation which brings various drugs and drug-like substances under the control of licensing systems. Typically this legislation covers any or all of the opiates, canaboids, cocaine, barbiturates, hallucinogenics and a variety of more modern synthetic drugs, and unlicensed production, supply or possession is a criminal offence. Look up substance in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...


Usually, however, drug classification under such legislation is not related simply to addictiveness. The substances covered often have very different addictive properties. Some are highly prone to cause physical dependency, whilst others rarely cause any form of compulsive need whatsoever. Also, under legislation specifically about drugs, alcohol is not usually included. In chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. ...


Although the legislation may be justifiable on moral or public health grounds, it can make addiction or dependency a much more serious issue for the individual: reliable supplies of a drug become difficult to secure, and the individual becomes vulnerable to both criminal abuse and legal punishment.


Drug Addiction as portrayed in popular media

Films

Documentaries Requiem for a Dream is a 1978 novel by Hubert Selby, Jr. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Spoiler warning: Trainspotting is a 1996 film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh about a group of heroin addicts in Edinburgh and their passage through life. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, video games and production crew personnel. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... The Panic in Needle Park is a 1971 American film starring Al Pacino and directed by Jerry Schatzberg. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... The Man with the Golden Arm is a 1955 film which tells the story of a heroin addict who got clean while in prison but struggles to stay straight in the outside world. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, video games and production crew personnel. ... 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

See also

The following is a list of notable personalities who have been or are believed to have been addicted to heroin (or other opiates) at some point during their lives. ... There is an established and possibly increasing trend for recreational drug users to use two or more drugs in combination to achieve a particular effect. ... Alcoholism is the consumption of, or preoccupation with, alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the drinkers normal personal, family, social, or work life, and may lead to physical or mental harm. ... Drug abuse has a wide range of definitions, all of them relating to the use, misuse or overuse of a psychoactive drug or performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. ... Drug tolerance occurs when a subjects reaction to a drug (such as a painkiller or intoxicant) decreases so that larger doses are required to achieve the same effect. ... This article or section is missing needed references or citation of sources. ... Tachyphylaxis is a medical term describing a rapidly decreasing response to a drug following administration of the initial doses. ... Dr. Bruce K. Alexander Rat Park was a 200 square foot (20 m²) housing colony built for a group of white Wister laboratory rats in 1981 by American psychologist Dr. Bruce K. Alexander at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. ... Robinson v. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States... Harm reduction is a philosophy of public health, intended to be a progressive alternative to the prohibition of certain lifestyle choices. ... Demand reduction is a term used by drug control authorities to refer to educational and other efforts aimed at stopping people from seeking drugs, as opposed to cutting off their supply. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

External links

Literature

  • Sainsbury, Drug and the Drug Habit (New York, 1909)
  • C. A. McBride, Modern Treatment of Alcoholism and Drug Narcotism (New York, 1910)
  • G. E. Pettey, Narcotic Drug Diseases and Allied Ailments (Philadelphia, 1913)
  • Fitz Hugh Ludlow wrote The Hasheesh Eater (1857) and The Opium Habit (1868), designed as a warning.

Fitz Hugh Ludlow, sometimes seen as Fitzhugh Ludlow, (September 11, 1836 – September 12, 1870) was an American author, journalist, and explorer; best-known for his autobiographical book The Hasheesh Eater (1857). ...

References

  • Nestler, Eric and Malenka, Robert (Mar. 2004). "The Addicted Brain". Scientific American, pg. 78-83.
  • Leavitt, Fred (2003) The REAL Drug Abusers. Rowman & Littlefield.

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