Illegal drugsIllegal drugs are those that are not prescribed by a doctor or bought at a drugstore. They are sometimes also called "street drugs." Some examples of illegal drugs include heroin (an opioid); cocaine (a stimulant); LSD, mescaline, PCP, methamphetamine, and psilocybin (hallucinogens); marijuana and hashish (cannabis); and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). GHB is legal in Europe for anesthetic uses and in the United States for government-approved clinical trials for treating narcolepsy. But it has been otherwise illegal in the United States since 1990. The effects of illegal drugs can be unpredictable because: - Most drugs are very addictive.
- People respond differently to the same drugs.
- The strength or potency of the drug may be uncertain.
- They may contain unknown or unexpected substances. There is no quality control for street drugs like that required for prescription drugs.
- They may interact with other drugs or alcohol in unpredictable ways.
- Even though they look like prescription drugs, they may contain dangerous chemicals.
Current as of:
November 3, 2016 Author:
Healthwise Staff Medical Review:
William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine & Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine & Michael F. Bierer, MD - Internal Medicine |
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