Drug

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For other uses, see Drug (disambiguation).
This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be
challenged and removed. (November 2009)

Coffee is the most widely used psychoactive drug beverage in the world. In 1999 the
average consumption of coffee was 3.5 cups per day per U.S. citizen.[1]

Wine is a common alcoholic beverage.[2]

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living
organism, alters normal bodily function.[3] There is no single, precise definition, as there
are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and
colloquial usage.[4]

In pharmacology, a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention,
or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being."[4]
Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic
disorders.[5]

Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as
opioids or hallucinogens.[5] They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on
perception, consciousness, personality, and behavior.[5][6] Some drugs can cause addiction
and habituation.[6]
Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from
outside the organism.[citation needed] For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in
the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body,
but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.[citation needed] Many
natural substances such as beers, wines, and some mushrooms, blur the line between food
and recreational drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and
body.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Etymology
• 2 Medication
• 3 Recreation
• 4 Spiritual and religious use
• 5 Nootropics
• 6 Legal definition of drugs
• 7 Governmental controls
• 8 See also
• 9 References

• 10 External links

Etymology
Drug is thought to originate from Old French "drogue", possibly deriving later into
"droge-vate" from Middle Dutch meaning "dry barrels", referring to medicinal plants
preserved in them.[7]

Medication
Nexium pills 40 mg
(esomeprazole magnesium)
Main article: pharmaceutical drug

A medication or medicine is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an

illness or medical condition, or may be used as preventive medicine that has future
benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms.

Dispensing of medication is often regulated by governments into three categories—over-

the-counter (OTC) medications, which are available in pharmacies and supermarkets
without special restrictions, behind-the-counter (BTC), which are dispensed by a
pharmacist without needing a doctor's prescription, and Prescription only medicines
(POM), which must be prescribed by a licensed medical professional, usually a
physician.[citation needed]

In the United Kingdom, BTC medicines are called pharmacy medicines which can only
be sold in registered pharmacies, by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. These
medications are designated by the letter P on the label.[8] The range of medicines
available without a prescription varies from country to country.

Medications are typically produced by pharmaceutical companies and are often patented
to give the developer exclusive rights to produce them, but they can also be derived from
naturally occurring substance in plants called herbal medicine.[citation needed] Those that are
not patented (or with expired patents) are called generic drugs since they can be produced
by other companies without restrictions or licenses from the patent holder.

Drugs, both medicinal and recreational, can be administered in a number of ways:

• Bolus, a substance into the stomach to dissolve slowly.

• Inhaled, (breathed into the lungs), as an aerosol or dry powder.
• Injected as a solution, suspension or emulsion either: intramuscular, intravenous,
intraperitoneal, intraosseous.
• Insufflation, or snorted into the nose.
• Orally, as a liquid or solid, that is absorbed through the intestines.
• Rectally as a suppository, that is absorbed by the rectum or colon.
• Sublingually, diffusing into the blood through tissues under the tongue.
• Topically, usually as a cream or ointment. A drug administered in this manner
may be given to act locally or systemically.[9]
• Vaginally as a suppository, primarily to treat vaginal infections.

Many drugs can be administered in a variety of ways.

Recreation
The cigarette is the common pharmaceutical form of tobacco – one of the world’s best
selling drugs.[10]

Cannabis is another commonly used recreational drug.[11]

Peruvian Ayahuasca Photo by Sascha Grabow

Main article: Recreational drug use
Further information: Prohibition (drugs)

Recreational drugs use is the use of psychoactive substances to have fun, for the
experience, or to enhance an already positive experience. National laws prohibit the use
of many different recreational drugs and medicinal drugs that have the potential for
recreational use are heavily regulated. Many other recreational drugs on the other hand
are legal, widely culturally accepted, and at the most have an age restriction on using
and/or purchasing them. These include alcohol, tobacco, betel nut, and caffeine products.

Spiritual and religious use

Main article: Entheogen

The spiritual and religious use of drugs has been occurring since the dawn of our species.
Drugs that are considered to have spiritual or religious use are called entheogens. Some
religions are based completely on the use of certain drugs. Entheogens are mostly
hallucinogens, being either psychedelics or deliriants, but some are also stimulants and
sedatives.

Nootropics
Main article: Nootropic

Nootropics, also commonly referred to as "smart drugs", are drugs that are claimed to
improve human cognitive abilities. Nootropics are used to improve memory,
concentration, thought, mood, learning, and many other things. Some nootropics are now
beginning to be used to treat certain diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease. They are also commonly used to
regain brain function lost during aging.

Legal definition of drugs

Most Commonly Used Drugs

Some governments define the term drug by law. In the United States, the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act definition of "drug" includes "articles intended for use in the
diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals"
and "articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body
of man or other animals."[12] Consistent with that definition, the U.S. separately defines
narcotic drugs and controlled substances, which may include non-drugs, and explicitly
excludes tobacco, caffeine and alcoholic beverages.[13]
Governmental controls
The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide
view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk
page. (November 2009)

In Canada the government has moved to remove the influence of drug companies on the
medical system.[citation needed] “The influence that the pharmaceutical companies, the for-
profits, are having on every aspect of medicine ... is so blatant now you'd have to be deaf,
blind and dumb not to see it,” said Journal of the American Medical Association editor
Dr. Catherine DeAngelis.[14][15]

See also
Pharmacy and Pharmacology portal

• Drug abuse
• Drug addiction
• Drug development
• Drug injection
• Generic drug
• Illegal drug trade
• Lifestyle drug
• List of drugs is an extensive alphabetical list of drugs by name.
• List of pharmaceutical companies
• Narcotics
• Pharmaceutical drug
• Placebo (origins of technical term)
• Prescription drug
• Prodrug
• Psychedelic plants
• Psychoactive drug
• Recreational drug use
• Responsible drug use
• War on Drugs

References
1. ^ Deutscher Kaffeeverband (2001-05-04). "Kaffee-Text 1/99" (in German) (PDF).
Archived from the original on 2008-02-29.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080229002700/http://www.kaffeeverband.de/pdf/kt1-
99.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
2. ^ In Germany about 118 l of beer, 20 l of wine, 4 l of sparkling wine and 6 l of distilled
beverages are consumed per person per year.[citation needed]
 3. ^ World Health Organization. (1969). WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence.
Sixteenth report. (Technical report series. No. 407).Geneva:World Health Organization.
4. ^ a b "Drug." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1), Random House, Inc., via
dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007.
5. ^ a b c "Drug." The American Heritage Science Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Company,
via dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007.
6. ^ a b "Drug." Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Inc., via
dictionary.com. Retrieved on 20 September 2007.
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. "drug". Online Etymology Dictionary.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=drug.
8. ^ "Glossary of MHRA terms - P". MHRA.
http://www.mhra.gov.uk/SearchHelp/Glossary/GlossaryP. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
9. ^ "?". http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice-clinical-research/the-administration-
of-medicine/288560.article.
10. ^ According to the statistic of the Food and Agriculture Organization the production
quantity in 2006 of coffee was 7.8 million tonnes and of tobacco was 6.7 million tonnes.
11. ^ Lingeman, Drugs from A-Z A Dictionary, Penguin ISBN 0 7139 0136 5
12. ^ "Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act" (Website.) U.S. Food and Drug
Administration. Retrieved on 24 September 2007.
13. ^ "21 USC Sec. 802." (Website.) U.S. Department of Justice. Retrieved on 24 September
2007.
14. ^ "Med schools, journals fight big pharma's sway" (Website.) MSNBC. Retrieved on 11
November 2009
15. ^ "Medical schools, journals start to fight drug industry influence" (Website.) USA
Today. Retrieved on 11 November 2009

External links
• DrugBank, a database of 4800 drugs and 2500 protein drug targets
• The Cult of Pharmacology: How America Became the World's Most Troubled
Drug Culture by Richard DeGrandpre, Duke University Press, 2006.

[show]v · d · ePharmacology: major drug groups

 [show]v · d · eRecreational drug use

Diacetylmorphine (heroin) • Oxycodone • Hydrocodone • Codeine •

Morphine (Opium) • Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) • Methadone •
Opioids
Buprenorphine (Subutex, Suboxone) • Propoxyphene (Darvon,
Darvocet) • Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom)

Barbiturates • Benzodiazepines • Ethanol (Alcoholic beverages) •

Depressants
GHB • Nonbenzodiazepines • Kava

Amphetamine • Arecoline (Areca) • Betel • Caffeine (Coffee -

Tea) • Cathinone (Khat) • Cocaine (Coca) • Ephedrine (Ephedra) •
Stimulants
Mephedrone • Methamphetamine • Methylphenidate • Nicotine
(Tobacco) • Theobromine (Cocoa)

EntactogensMDA • MDMA (Ecstasy)

Bufotenin (Yopo • Vilca • Psychoactive toads) •

DMT (Ayahuasca) • LSD-25 • Mescaline (Peyote •
Psychedelics
San Pedro • Peruvian Torch) • Psilocybin & Psilocin
(Psilocybin mushrooms)

DXM • Inhalants (Nitrous oxide • alkyl nitrites –

Hallucinogens
Dissociativespoppers such as amyl nitrite) • Ketamine • PCP •
Salvinorin A (Salvia divinorum)

DeliriantsDatura • Deadly Nightshade • Henbane • Mandrake

CannabinoidsTHC (Cannabis • Hashish • Hash oil)

420 • Stoner film • Spiritual use of cannabis • Medical cannabis •

Cannabis cultivation • Cannabis smoking • Legality of cannabis •
Cannabis
Legal history of cannabis in the United States • Marijuana Policy
Project • NORML

PsychedelicArt • Drug • Experience • Literature • Music

Counterculture of the 1960s • Club drug • Dance party • Drug tourism •

OtherDrug paraphernalia • Hippie • Party and play • Poly drug use • Rave •
Self-medication • Sex and drugs • Spiritual use of drugs

International1961 Narcotic Drugs • 1971 Psychotropic Substances • 1988 Drug

 Trafficking

Drug policy (Prohibition • Supply reduction • Decriminalization) •

Policy reform (Liberalization • Harm reduction • Demand reduction •
State levelDrug Policy Alliance • Law Enforcement Against Prohibition •
Students for Sensible Drug Policy • Transform Drug Policy
Foundation)

Australia • Canada • Germany • Netherlands • Portugal • Sweden •

Drug policySwitzerland • Soviet Union • United States (Office of National Drug
by countryControl Policy • School district drug policies • Just Say No •
California • Colorado • Maryland • Virginia)

Arguments for and against drug prohibition • Designer drug • Drug

court • Drug possession • Drug test • Hard and soft drugs • Mexican
Other
Drug War • Narc • Politics of drug abuse • War on Drugs • Zero
tolerance

[show]v · d · eDepressants

Dimenhydrinate • Diphenhydramine • Doxylamine • Hydroxyzine •

1st Generation
Promethazine ...

OthersAmitriptyline • Doxepin • Mianserin • Mirtazapine ...

TypicalsChlorpromazine • Haloperidol ...

AtypicalAripiprazole • Clozapine • Olanzapine • Quetiapine • Risperidone •

sZiprasidone ...

3-MeO-PCP • Esketamine • Dieticyclidine • Eticyclidine •

ArylcyclohexylaminesGacyclidine • Ketamine • Phencyclidine • PCPr •
Rolicyclidine • Tenocyclidine • Tiletamine

MorphinansDextromethorphan / Methorphan • Dextrorphan / Morphanol

Dexoxadrol • Dizocilpine (MK-801) • Etoxadrol • Nitrous

Others
Oxide • Selfotel • Xenon ...

BarbituratesAmobarbital • Pentobarbital • Phenobarbital • Secobarbital ...

Alprazolam • Chlordiazepoxide • Clonazepam • Diazepam •

Benzodiazepines
Lorazepam ...
 CarbamatesCarisoprodol • Felbamate • Meprobamate ...

1,4-BD • Aceburic Acid • Gabaculine • GBL • GABA •

GABOB • GHB • GHV • GVL • Isovaleramide • Isovaleric
Acid • Phenibut • Picamilon • Tiagabine • Valeric Acid •
GABA Analogues
Valerenic Acid • Valnoctamide • Valproic Acid (Sodium
Valproate / Valproate Semisodium) • Valpromide •
Vigabatrin

Alfaxalone • Allopregnanolone • Ganaxolone •

Neuroactive Steroids
Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone ...

NonbenzodiazepinesEszopiclone • Zaleplon • Zolpidem • Zopiclone ...

PiperidinedionesGlutethimide ...

PropylphenolsFospropofol • Propofol • Thymol

QuinazolinonesMethaqualone ...

Baclofen • Clomethiazole • Diethyl Ether • Ethanol (Alcohol)

Others• Etomidate • Gaboxadol • Muscimol • Stiripentol • Theanine
• Kavalactones (Kava Kava) • Valerenic Acid (Valerian)

OpiatesOpium → Codeine • Morphine • Oripavine • Thebaine

Alfentanil • Buprenorphine • Butorphanol • Carfentanil • Diacetylmorphine

(Heroin) • Dihydrocodeine • Ethylmorphine • Etorphine • Fentanyl •
Hydrocodone • Hydromorphone • Ketobemidone • Levacetylmethadol •
Opioids
Levorphanol • Meperidine / Pethidine • Methadone • Nalbuphine •
Oxycodone • Oxymorphone • Pentazocine • Phenazocine • Propoxyphene •
Remifentanil • Tapentadol • Tramadol • Sufentanil

OthersKratom

Alpha BlockersDoxazosin • Phentolamine • Prazosin • Tamsulosin • Urapidil ...

Beta BlockersPropranolol ...

OthersClonidine ...
 [show]v · d · eHallucinogens

Cannabinol • CP-47,497 • CP-55,244 • CP-55,940 • DMHP •

CannabinoidsHU-210 • JWH-018 • JWH-030 • JWH-073 • JWH-081 • JWH-
CB1R agonists 200 • JWH-250 • Nabilone • Nabitan • Nantradol • Parahexyl •
THC (Dronabinol) • WIN-55,212-2

Apomorphine • Bromocriptine • Cabergoline • Lisuride •

Memantine • Pergolide • Piribedil • Pramipexole • Ropinirole •
D2R agonistsRotigotine
* Also indirect D2 agonists such as dopamine reuptake inhibitors (cocaine,
methylphenidate), releasing agents (amphetamine, methamphetamine), and
precursors (levodopa).

Eszopiclone • Gaboxadol • Ibotenic Acid • Muscimol •

GABAAR agonists
Zolpidem • Zopiclone

InhalantsButane • Chloroform • Diethyl Ether (Ether) • Enflurane •

Mixed MOA Freon• Gasoline (Petrol) • Kerosene (Paraffin) • Propane

2-EMSB • 2-MMSB • Alazocine • Bremazocine • Butorphanol •

Cyclazocine • Cyprenorphine • Dextrallorphan • Dezocine •
Enadoline • Herkinorin • HZ-2 • Ibogaine • Ketazocine •
κOR agonists
Metazocine • Nalbuphine • Nalorphine • Noribogaine •
Pentazocine • Phenazocine • Salvinorin A • Spiradoline •
Tifluadom • U-50,488 • U-69,593

Dextrallorphan • Dextromethorphan • Dextrorphan • Noscapine

σR agonists
(Narcotine)

OthersEfavirenz • Glaucine • Isoaminile

[show]v · d · eStimulants
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug"
Categories: Drugs
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