Types of Drugs
A drug is any chemical substance that changes the physical, mental or emotional state of the body. (Health and Physical Education 1, 2010).
Drugs fall under two categories:
1) Licit (legal) drugs
2) Illicit (illegal) drugs
Licit drugs are those that people can consume. Prescription drugs given to people by doctors to help people with an illness/injury. Non-prescription drugs are licit drugs that you can use in any amount such as cough medicine, tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco.
There are 3 types of illicit drugs:
Stimulants: Drugs that speed up your body processes. They make people feel energetic.
Hallucinogens: Drugs or chemicals capable of making people hallucinate or that alter one's perception of what is happening around them.
Depressants: Drugs that slow down your body processes. They make people feel relaxed, tired and, at times, sad.
Examples of the following types of drugs are:
Stimulants: Tobacco, Caffeine, Cocaine.
Hallucinogens: LSD, Ecstasy, Acid.
Depressants: Alcohol, Marijuana.
Its important to recognise that although any person may become addicted to these substances, addictions are complex diseases that have genetic and environmental factors tied to them.
A drug is any chemical substance that changes the physical, mental or emotional state of the body. (Health and Physical Education 1, 2010).
Drugs fall under two categories:
1) Licit (legal) drugs
2) Illicit (illegal) drugs
Licit drugs are those that people can consume. Prescription drugs given to people by doctors to help people with an illness/injury. Non-prescription drugs are licit drugs that you can use in any amount such as cough medicine, tea, coffee, alcohol and tobacco.
There are 3 types of illicit drugs:
Stimulants: Drugs that speed up your body processes. They make people feel energetic.
Hallucinogens: Drugs or chemicals capable of making people hallucinate or that alter one's perception of what is happening around them.
Depressants: Drugs that slow down your body processes. They make people feel relaxed, tired and, at times, sad.
Examples of the following types of drugs are:
Stimulants: Tobacco, Caffeine, Cocaine.
Hallucinogens: LSD, Ecstasy, Acid.
Depressants: Alcohol, Marijuana.
Its important to recognise that although any person may become addicted to these substances, addictions are complex diseases that have genetic and environmental factors tied to them.