Euphoria, Clarity, Ecstasy and Bliss
might be some of the most common words recreational drug users use to describe
how drugs make them feel. Recreational drugs usually have a negative impact on
the health of an individual and can be the reason for major shortcomings of the
individual during sporting activities, be a wasteful (or beneficial, depends on
your point of view) use of his leisure time and can generally aid in the
downfall of a society. Recreational
drugs can be better understood by classifications made by the National
Institute on Drug Abuse, usage reasons, consequences and drug legality in
different countries.
NIDA Drug Classification
The National Institute on Drug Abuse,
NIDA, classifies abused or recreationally administered drugs in groups
depending on parameters such as effects, administration and chemical
composition. For the sake of the length of this report only three of the most
popular and almost completely illegal classes worldwide will be discussed and
they are cannabinoids, opioids and stimulants.
- Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are a class of diverse chemical compounds that activate cannabinoid receptors on cells that repress neurotransmitter
release in the brain. In some instances cannabinoids have been used to help
cancer and HIV patients cope with long term pain. Two types of recreationally
used cannabinoids are marijuana and hashish.
Commonly known as weed, pot or grass, marijuana is a depressant or a
“downer” decreasing the mental and physical function of the user. Marijuana is
usually marketed for depressive effects such as relaxation, euphoria, slowness,
impaired balance and coordination, increased heart rate and appetite and maybe
some worse effects such as anxiety, panic attacks and psychosis.
Cannabinoids have the minimal risks when compared with other illegal
recreational drugs starting from coughing and some respiratory infections and
ending with the worst case scenario of addiction. But these risks don’t include
physical damage the user can attain while “high”.
- Opioids
Similar to Cannabinoids, Opioids work by binding to opioid receptors, which are found
principally in the central and peripheral
nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. Not to be
confused with the term opiates which
are narcotics derived from the opium poppy, opioids include opiates and synthetic
substances. A lot of opioids are used as medical anesthetics, for its
significant sedating effect, such as morphine. A certain strain of opioids, a potent
descendant of morphine, became an infamous recreational drug, heroin.
Smack, horse and brown sugar are some of the names given to heroin.
Heroin and other opioids, similar to cannabinoids are a “downer” drugs, relax
the user and introduce drowsiness, euphoria and negative effects such as
nausea, confusion or arrested breathing.
Like any drug, opioids have their risks starting from constipation and
ending with addiction and/or fatal overdose. Administration of heroin is commonly
done by injection, since it allows efficient and better effects from the drug,
but that comes with its own risks such as HIV or hepatitis if administered by
non-professionals.
- Stimulants
In contrast
to cannabinoids and opioids, stimulants are psychoactive
drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical
functions or both. Some renowned legal stimulant drugs are caffeine and
nicotine while obviously stronger but illegal adversaries are Khat and Cocaine.
Cocaine being the most famous illegal stimulant is sometimes known as
coke, bump or crack. Similar to all other stimulants cocaine induces effects
such as increased heart rate, body temperature, increased energy, reduced
appetite, paranoia and psychosis the only difference is the severity of the
effects.
Direct risks of using illegal stimulants are weight loss, insomnia,
cardiovascular complications, stroke, seizures and addiction other than
physical damage while intoxicated. Administration can also have its risks such
as nasal damage while snorting cocaine, dental problems when swallowing
methamphetamine and HIV or hepatitis with poor injection.
Reasons and Addiction
Reasons for drug abuse can vary from
person to person some of which are curiosity and relaxation. In some rare cases
medical drugs such as stimulants and cannabis can be loosely handed out without
proper boundaries resulting into severe consequences.
Addiction is commonly seen as a lack
in the user’s principles or willpower but this is wrong. It is the result of
the brain’s inability to function without the chemicals. Severe cases of
addiction may cause the individual to reach desperate measures such as theft or
even murder. Rehabilitation centers and hospitals that can help minimize the
addicting effects of drugs to help lead the individual to a better lifestyle.
Legal Countries
Most countries around the world react
to recreational drugs by strict limitation or complete banishment while others
approach the issue by legalizing them. Marijuana, due to its minimal sedating
effects, is one of the drugs that are slowly being decriminalized throughout
the world.
Taking the US as a sample country of
cannabis legality, 28 out of 50 states have laws legalizing marijuana in one
way or another two of which have it completely legalized, Washington and
Colorado. Colorado’s recreational marijuana shops officially started selling on
New Year’s Day of 2014.
Some other notable countries with
legal sale of marijuana are Netherlands, North Korea, Bangladesh and Uruguay.
Uruguay will completely legalize cultivation, transport, sale and use of
marijuana as of April 2014.
To conclude, I would like to
acknowledge the fact that all drugs, legal or not, have their effects and only
one person understands if he needs them or not and that is the user himself. Whether it’s coffee,
alcohol or a full blast of glass coke you will always have the utmost
responsibility of your own actions.
References
Cannabinoid. (2014, December 1). Wikipedia.
Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabinoid
Commonly Abused Drugs Chart. (n.d.). National
Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Retrieved January 11, 2014, from
http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/commonly-abused-drugs/commonly-abused-drugs-chart
DrugFacts: Understanding Drug Abuse and
Addiction. (n.d.). National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Retrieved
January 11, 2014, from
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-abuse-addiction
Ferner, M. (2014, January 1). Recreational
Marijuana Shops Open In Colorado. The Huffington Post. Retrieved January
13, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/01/marijuana-shops-open-colorado_n_4519506.html
Legality of cannabis by country. (2014, June
1). Wikipedia. Retrieved January 12, 2014, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legality_of_cannabis_by_country
Opioid. (2014, August 1). Wikipedia.
Retrieved January 11, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid
Stimulant. (2014, November 1). Wikipedia.
Retrieved January 11, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimulant
APA formatting by BibMe.org.
