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Illegal drugs are drugs which have limitations on their ownership or use by a government, and
are illegal in certain situations (meaning a person is not allowed to have them). A drug is any
chemical that affects the human body or mind when it is swallowed, breathed in, or consumed in
another way. A psychoactive drug is a drug that affects the brain. Some controlled drugs are
allowed if you have permission (called a "prescription") from a doctor. Other drugs are illegal
meaning you are never allowed to have them. Individual countries and places have different laws
about different drugs, and there are also international treaties against some drugs. The most used
drugs are not illegal for example cigarettes.
There are many categories (types) of psychoactive drugs. These categories have subcategories
(categories within categories). For example, benzodiazepines and opiates are both subcategories
of depressants. Some drugs such as ketamine have elements of two categories (hallucinogens and
depressants). Every drug is different, so it is important to know the effects of each individual
drug, not just the general group.
Hallucinogens Edit
Hallucinogens change the way people see, hear, feel or think. The three main groups of
hallucinogens are: psychedelics, dissociatives and deliriants. Each group has different effects.
They may cause hallucinations, when a person imagines something that is not really there.
Stimulants Edit
Stimulants speed up the central nervous system. People using stimulants may feel happy and
excited, and have more energy, concentration or motivation. Stimulants make it difficult to sleep.
Anti-psychotics Edit
Antipsychotics are drugs which balance people's moods or stop hallucinations. Many anti-
psychotics are legal prescription drug such as anti-depressants (which are used to help to stop
people feeling depressed).
Address the real issues The use of illegal drugs is harmful to the user
For too long policy makers have used
and all those with whom the user comes in
prohibition as a smoke screen to avoid
contact. There are over 40 million illegal drug
addressing the social and economic factors that
users in the world today and America is the
lead people to use drugs. Most illegal and legal
biggest market for drugs. There is more drug
drug use is recreational. Poverty and despair
dealers in this country, than there are dentists.
are at the root of most problematic drug use
Illegal drug abuse must be stopped; it hurts our
and it is only by addressing these underlying
society, hurts us, and, most of all hurts the drug
causes that we can hope to significantly
user. Drug users are parasites, feeding off
decrease the number of problematic users.
society's money, taxes and insurance. Drugs
have very harmful effects on the user and the
people with whom the user interacts. The user
is affected in many ways.
The most popular drug in America, alcohol, is
generally thought of as socially acceptable and
relatively harmless. But it can have devastating
effects. Alcohol might seem very harmless, but
it can harm the user very easily. Alcohol is
easy to obtain and consume. It is taken as a
beverage and, since it is legal, it can be
purchased at the corner store. The immediate
effects on the user are relaxation and a slight
anesthetic effect. Alcohol is a very addictive
drug. There are more than 18 million
alcoholics in America, an indication of how
widespread its harmful effects are. Alcoholics
normally drink a lot on mornings and
weeknights, at times, which separate them for
normal "social" drinkers. Often, the alcohol
will bring out a violent temper and often,
alcoholics abuse, physically and mentally, their
friends and family. Drinking makes the drinker
feel he is more confident. The drinker thinks he
is in control, even if a little high and he might
get behind the wheel of his car and go for a
drive. Drunk driving is deadly. Hundreds of
thousands of people get killed every year due
to drunk driving. Other physical effects of
drinking are vomiting, passing out and
sometimes, if enough alcohol is consumed over
a long enough periods of time, or if mixed with
other drugs - death.
Eliminate the criminal market place Drug addicts need money to support their
habits, and all users, addicts or casual users,
The market for drugs is demand-led and
are careless and reckless when under the
millions of people demand illegal drugs.
Making the production, supply and use of influence. Drug users commit property crimes,
some drugs illegal creates a vacuum into which such as robbing a house or a store. Drug users
organised crime moves. The profits are worth also commit personal crimes, like mugging,
billions of pounds. Legalisation forces
organised crime from the drugs trade, starves armed robbery and even murder. Drug use,
them of income and enables us to regulate and itself, can be a crime. It makes innocent
control the market (i.e. prescription, licensing, citizens scared to walk out of their own homes,
laws on sales to minors, advertising regulations
in their own neighborhoods. Drug abuse must
etc.)
be stopped. We should attack the supply and
demand. We should keep drugs from entering
the country and incarcerate dealers and
smugglers. To attack the demand, we should
educate young people on the risk of bodily
harm, mental harm and the damage to family
and relationships. Legalization of some less
harmful drugs, such as marijuana, might help
reduce the crimes associated with them, but it
would be hard to regulate and legalization
would only eliminate some of the direct
criminal results, not the actual harm of the
drug. Drug abuse is a plague to society and
must be stopped. It is hurting our country by
causing increased crime and soaring insurance
rates, stealing tax dollars, hurting families, and
hurting children. If fighting drug abuse were
made a top priority, we could probably wage
an effective war, through education and
enforcement of laws, to stop drug abuse.
Global Implications