Drug addiction has become a worldwide problem, especially among teenagers. It is a major social evil of modern times. It has spread its feeler among the young and the old. Drug addiction is a state of mind and body in which a person has lost self-control in respect of the drug to which the person is addicted.
A person consumes the drug repeatedly leaving aside all values of life. Drug addict also resorts to crime even to satisfy their repetitive craving for the drug. The effects of addiction are mainly deteriorative personality changes. Drug addicts cannot concentrate on any work.
Drug addiction is characterized by two or more attributes such as psychological dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance. The addicted person avoids social contact and slowly becomes a mental, physical, and moral wreck to society.
There are a number of addictive drugs found on the earth but the 8 most addictive drugs used over the world are:-
- Opium
- Heroin
- Alcohol
- Cocaine
- Fentanyl
- Barbiturates
- Morphine
- Amphetamines
Top 8 Addictive Drugs Mostly used by Addicts
1. Opium
Opium is the dried juice of unripe white poppy heads. It is obtained naturally from the plant Papaver somniferum. Opium is a complex mixture of alkaloids but its most important constituent is morphine.
Opium has been used as a drug for medicinal as well as for intoxication purpose all over the world. All civilized governments have tried to limits its use for medicinal purposes only. However, illegal trade for the narcotic drug continues to flourish in most parts of the world. Opium is smoked, eaten and drunk. Its abuse to the hypodermic needles is dangerous.
It is a drug of addiction and addiction-prone individuals feel great pleasure when introduced to this drug. An intense desire to repeat the sensation is born after each dose till the individual is confirmed addict. This phenomenon is accompanied by the need of ever increasing dose and frequency of intake also increases otherwise body develops withdrawal symptoms.
2. Heroin
Today heroin, a product based on morphine is the no. 1 narcotic and addictive drug in the world embracing and destroying many young people with its charm. Heroin from Mexico is brown in color but it varies from white to black color.
It is not marketed in its pure form but is always diluted or cut. It is one of the strongest sedatives, depressing all body functions, freeing individuals from any pain, worry, etc. and the addict feels happy and relaxed.
The intensity and the length of time for which the effect lasts depend mainly upon the quantity of the heroin injected and the extent of addiction of the addict.
3. Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the oldest intoxicants known to individuals over the world. Its use and misuse were known in India long before it was known in other countries. The active ingredient of all liquors is alcohol which is also known as ethyl alcohol.
Alcohol is a narcotic drug that has a depressant effect on the central nervous system. Some persons are easily affected even by the low intakes. It affects the whole body, vision, hearing, and speech. The effect is that the person feels a sense of well-being, increased confidence, pain, or depression.
4. Cocaine
Cocaine is an alkaloid obtained from the leaves of coca bushes commercially. It basically occurs as white crystalline and is slightly volatile in nature. It is a drug of choice for local anesthesia. It is administered orally by mouth in capsules or mixed with food and with drink.
In fact, inhaling cocaine gives maximum satisfaction to a drug addict. It is sold in three forms including wholesale dealers it is rock-like solid form, in rich use it is in pure flake form and the last is sold in powder form.
The addicts depend upon the word pedlar as to the real strength of the drug. An intelligent addict can guess the strength through inhaling or by tasting the drug. The effect of cocaine on an individual is immediate and the experience is the euphoria of intense pleasure.
5. Fentanyl
Fentanyl is an addictive drug with effects similar to morphine. However, it is over 1 thousand times more potent than morphine itself. It is a synthetic drug and possesses a typical chemical structure.
Minor modifications in the molecule can produce numerous analogs of which some are many times more potent than fentanyl. Some of the well-known analogs of fentanyl are alpha-methyl, para-fluro, alphamethylacetyl, beta hydroxy-3-methyl, 3-methyl, carfentanil, etc. 3-Methylfentanyl is a highly potent narcotics analgesic as its 1 gram can produce 1 million doses.
6. Barbiturates
Barbiturates are one of the important addictive drugs which are tremendously being used as drugs of addiction. It is also known as sedatives or analgesics. These have a depressant effect on the body as well as the mind.
Barbiturates are known also as barbitones or barbitals. These substances are increasingly being used by drug addicts as they are comparatively more easily available in the market, less costly, and are considered less dangerous.
The barbiturates may be long-acting, intermediate-acting, and short-acting. Barbiturates are taken along with other drugs like liquor or cocaine also.
7. Morphine
Morphine is one of the most important constituents of opium. It is responsible for most of the qualities of sedatives, and pain killers. It is a very strong addictive drug too and its continued use is bound to make a person a drug addict.
Morphine has the same psychological effect as opium. It may show excitement followed by soporific effect, necrosis, and coma.
8. Amphetamines
Amphetamine is a stimulant and is also used for addiction purposes in the world. It is prepared synthetically from alpha-phenethylamine. It is administered by inhaling, oral, through injection, and by placing it in contact with the body parts.
Amphetamine addiction is characterized by various aspects such as a desire to take drug repeatedly, development of tolerance, psychological dependence, and absence of physical dependence.
This drug stimulates the central nervous system and consequently, sensation of pleasure and alertness is created.
0 Comments