Abuse Drugs—Use and Addiction - Five Categories Of Substances

Drugs may be classified into five categories:

• Depressants, including alcohol and tranquilizers: These substances slow down the activity of the nervous system. They produce sedative (calming) and hypnotic (trancelike) effects as well as drowsiness. If taken in large doses, depressants can cause intoxication (drunkenness).
• Hallucinogens, including marijuana, PCP (phencyclidine), and LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide): Hallu-cinogens produce abnormal and unreal sensations such as seeing distorted and vividly colored images. Hallucinogens also can produce frightening psychological responses such as anxiety, depression, and the feeling of losing control of one's mind.
• Narcotics, including heroin and opium, from which morphine and codeine are derived: Narcotics are drugs that alter the perception of pain and induce sleep and euphoria (an intense feeling of well-being; a "high").
• Stimulants, including caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines: These substances speed up the processing rate of the central nervous system. They can reduce fatigue, elevate mood, increase energy, and help people stay awake. In large doses, stimulants can cause irritability, anxiety, TABLE 1.1
  Commonly abused drugs

  Substance: category and name	Examples of commercial and street names	DEA schedulea/how administeredb	Intoxication effects/potential health consequences
  Depressants
  Alcohol	Beer, wine, hard liquor	Not scheduled/swallowed	Reduced anxiety; feeling of well-being; lowered inhibitions; slowed pulse and breathing; lowered blood pressure; poor concentration/fatigue; confusion; impaired coordination, memory, judgment; addiction; respiratory depression and arrest, death
  Barbiturates	Amytal, Nembutal, Seconal, Phenobarbital; barbs, reds, red birds, phennies, tooies, yellows, yellow jackets	II, III, V/injected, swallowed	Also, for barbiturates—sedation, drowsiness/depression, unusual excitement, fever, irritability, poor judgment, slurred speech, dizziness, life-threatening withdrawal.
  Benzodiazepines (other than flunitrazepam)	Ativan, Halcion, Librium, Valium, Xanax; candy, downers, sleeping pills, tranks	IV/swallowed, injected	For benzodiazepines—sedation, drowsiness/dizziness
  Flunitrazepamc	Rohypnol; forget-me pill, Mexican Valium, R2, Roche, roofies, roofinol, rope, rophies	IV/swallowed, snorted	For flunitrazepam—visual and gastrointestinal disturbances, urinary retention, memory loss for the time under the drug's effects
  GHBc	gamma-hydroxybutyrate; G, Georgia home boy, grievous bodily harm, liquid ecstasy	I/swallowed	For GHB—drowsiness, nausea/vomiting, headache, loss of consciousness, loss of reflexes, seizures, coma, death
  Methaqualone	Quaalude, Sopor, Parest; ludes, mandex, quad, quay	I/injected, swallowed	For methaqualone—euphoria/depression, poor reflexes, slurred speech, coma
  Cannabinoids (hallucinogens)
  Hashish	Boom, chronic, gangster, hash, hash oil, hemp	I/swallowed, smoked	Euphoria, slowed thinking and reaction time, confusion, impaired balance and coordination/cough, frequent respiratory infections; impaired memory and learning; increased heart rate, anxiety; panic attacks; tolerance, addiction
  Marijuana	Blunt, dope, ganja, grass, herb, joints, Mary Jane, pot, reefer sinsemilla, skunk, weed	I/swallowed, smoked	Increased heart rate and blood pressure, impaired motor function/memory loss; numbness; nausea/vomiting
  Dissociative anesthetics (hallucinogens)
  Ketamine	Ketalar SV; cat Valiums, K, Special K, vitamin K	III/injected, snorted, smoked	Also, for ketamine—at high doses, delirium, depression, respiratory depression and arrest
  PCP and analogs	phencyclidine; angel dust, boat, hog, love boat, peace pill	I, II/injected, swallowed, smoked	For PCP and analogs—possible decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, panic, aggression, violence/loss of appetite, depression
  Hallucinogens			Altered states of perception and feeling; nausea; persisting perception disorder (flashbacks)
  LSD	Lysergic acid diethylamide; acid, blotter, boomers, cubes, microdot, yellow	I/swallowed, absorbed through mouth tissues	Also, for LSD and mescaline—increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure; loss of appetite, sleeplessness, numbness, weakness, tremors
  Mescaline	Buttons, cactus, mesc, peyote	I/swallowed, smoked	For LSD—persistent mental disorders
  Psilocybin	Magic mushroom, purple passion, shrooms	I/swallowed	For psilocybin—nervousness, paranoia
  Opioids and morphine derivatives (narcotics)
  Codeine	Empirin with Codeine, Fiorinal with Codeine, Robitussin A-C, Tylenol with Codeine; Captain Cody, Cody, schoolboy; (with glutethimide) doors & fours, loads, pancakes and syrup	II, III, IV/injected, swallowed	Pain relief, euphoria, drowsiness/nausea, constipation, confusion, sedation, respiratory depression and arrest, tolerance, addiction, unconsciousness, coma, death
  Fentanyl and fentanyl analogs	Actiq, Duragesic, Sublimaze; Apache, China girl, China white, dance fever, friend, goodfella, jackpot, murder 8, TNT, Tango and Cash	I, II/injected smoked, snorted	Also, for codeine—less analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression than morphine
  Heroin	Diacetylmorphine; brown sugar, dope, H, horse, junk, skag, skunk, smack, white horse	I/injected smoked, snorted	For heroin—staggering gait
  Morphine	Roxanol, Duramorph; M, Miss Emma, monkey, white stuff	II, III/injected, swallowed, smoked
  Opium	Laudanum, paregoric; big O, black stuff, block, gum, hop	II, III, V/swallowed, smoked
  Oxycodone HCL	Oxycontin; Oxy, O.C., killer	II/swallowed, snorted, injected
  Hydrocodone bitartrate, acetaminophen	Vicodin; vike, Watson-387	II/swallowed

  sleeplessness, and even psychotic behavior. Caffeine is the most commonly used stimulant in the world.
• Other compounds, including anabolic steroids and inhalants: Anabolic steroids are a group of synthetic substances that are chemically related to testoster-one and are promoted for their muscle-building properties. Inhalants are solvents and aerosol products that produce vapors having psychoactive effects. These substances dull pain and can produce euphoria.

Table 1.1 provides an overview of alcohol, nicotine, and selected other psychoactive substances. TABLE 1.1
Commonly abused drugs
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SOURCE: Adapted from "Commonly Abused Drugs," National Institute on Drug Abuse, http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/DrugsofAbuse.html (accessed February 3, 2005)

Substance: category and name	Examples ofcommercial and street names	DEA schedulea/how administeredb	Intoxication effects/potential health consequences
Stimulants			Increased heart rate, blood pressure, metabolism; feelings of exhilaration, energy, increased mental alertness/rapid or irregular heart beat; reduce appetite, weight loss, heart failure, nervousness, insomnia
Amphetamine	Biphetamine, Dexedrine; bennies, black beauties, crosses, hearts, LA turnaround, speed, truck drivers, uppers	II/injected, swallowed, smoked, snorted	Also, for amphetamine—rapid breathing/tremor, loss of coordination; irritability, anxiousness, restlessness, delirium, panic, paranoia, impulsive behavior, aggressiveness, tolerance, addiction, psychosis
Cocaine	Cocaine hydrochloride; blow, bump, C, candy, Charlie, coke, crack, flake, rock, snow, toot	II/injected, smoked, snorted	For cocaine—increased temperature/chest pain, respiratory failure, nausea, abdominal pain, strokes, seizures, headaches, malnutrition, panic attacks
MDMA (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine)	Adam, clarity, ecstasy, Eve, lover's speed, peace, STP, X, XTC	I/swallowed	For MDMA—mild hallucinogenic effects, increased tactile sensitivity, empathic feelings/impaired memory and learning, hyperthermia, cardiac toxicity, renal failure, liver toxicity
Methamphetamine	Desoxyn; chalk, crank, crystal, fire, glass, go fast, ice, meth, speed	II/injected, swallowed, smoked, snorted	For methamphetamine—aggression, violence, psychotic behavior/memory loss, cardiac and neurological damage; impaired memory and learning, tolerance, addiction
Methylphenidate (safe and effective for treatment of ADHD)	Ritalin; JIF, MPH, R-ball, Skippy, the smart drug, vitamin R	II/injected, swallowed, snorted
Nicotine	Cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, snuff, spit tobacco, bidis, chew	Not scheduled/smoked, snorted, taken in snuff and spit	For nicotine—additional effects attributable to tobacco exposure, adverse pregnancy outcomes, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular, chronic lung disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, tolerance, addiction
Other compounds
Anabolic steroids	Anadrol, Oxandrin, Durabolin, Depo-Testosterone, Equipoise; roids, juice	III/injected, swallowed, applied to skin	No intoxication effects/hypertension, blood clotting and cholesterol changes, lives cysts and cancer, kidney cancer, hostility and aggression, acne; in adolescents, premature stoppage of growth; in males, prostate cancer, reduced sperm production, shrunken testicles, breast enlargement; in females, menstrual irregularities, development of beard and other masculine characteristics
Inhalants	Solvents (paint thinners, gasoline, glues), gases (butane, propane, aerosol propellants, nitrous oxide), nitrites (isoamyl, isobutyl, cyclohexyl); laughing gas, poppers, snappers, whippets	Not scheduled/inhaled through nose or mouth	Stimulation, loss of inhibition; headache; nausea or vomiting; slurred speech, loss of motor coordination; wheezing/unconsciousness, cramps, weight loss, muscle weakness, depression, memory impairment, damage to cardiovascular and nervous systems, sudden death
aSchedule I and II drugs, have a high potential for abuse. They require greater storage security and have a quota on manufacturing, among other restrictions. Schedule I drugs are available for research only and have no approved medical use; schedule II drugs are available only by prescription (unrefillable) and require a form for ordering. Schedule III and IV drugs are available by prescription, may have five refills in 6 months, and may be ordered orally. Most schedule V drugs are available over the counter.
bTaking drugs by injection can increase the risk of infection through needle contamination with staphylococci, HIV, hepatitis, and other organisms.
cAssociated with sexual assaults.

It includes the DEA schedule for each drug listed. The DEA drug schedules are categories into which controlled substances are placed depending on their characteristics. The types of drugs categorized in each of the five schedules, with examples, are shown in Table 1.2.