Recreational Drugs

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

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