The 7 Drug Categories

The 7 Drug Categories

There are all kinds of drugs out there today, some are used recreationally some are gotten from a prescription. Either way when it comes to drugs most of, if not all of them, can be put in 7 different drug categories. The 7 drug categories have been around for a very long time and include: Central Nervous System Depressants, CNS stimulants, Hallucinogens, Phencyclidine (PCP, Narcotic Analgesics, Inhalants, and cannabis. All of the drugs from each of these categories can impair a person mentally and physically.

The 7 drug categories: Central Nervous Depressants (CNS)

Central nervous depressants slow down the body, specifically the brain. Examples of central nervous depressants are drugs like alcohol, barbiturates, and anti-anxiety tranquilizers such as Valium, Librium, Xanax, Prozac and Thorazine. Central nervous depressants also include drugs such as GHB and Rohypnol which are more commonly known as roofies. CNS also includes many other anti-depressants.

The 7 drug categories: Central nervous system stimulants

Central nervous stimulants accelerate the heart rate and elevate the blood pressure. Stimulants do the opposite of central nervous depressants. Stimulants over-stimulate the body by speeding everything up. Examples of central nervous stimulants include cocaine, crack, amphetamines such as Adderall, and Methamphetamine.

The 7 drug categories: Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens cause their user to have auditory and visual hallucinations which means they hear or see things differently than they actually are. Examples of hallucinogens include drugs such as LSD, Peyote, Psilocybin and MDMA (ecstasy). All of these drugs alter the user’s perception of reality.

The 7 drug categories: Dissociative Anesthetics

Dissociative anesthetics include drugs that inhibit pain by cutting off or dissociating the brain’s perception of pain. Examples of these drugs are PCP and Ketamine.

The 7 drug categories: Narcotic Analgesics

Narcotic analgesics relieve pain, create euphoria and create mood changes in their users. These drugs are better known as opiates or painkillers. Narcotic analgesics are most often prescribed but also can be gotten illicitly. Examples of prescription narcotic analgesics are opium, codeine, heroin, Demerol, Darvocet, morphine, methadone, Vicodin, and Oxycontin.

The 7 drug categories: Inhalants

Inhalants include a large and diverse variety of breathable substances that produce mind altering effects in its users. Inhalants can range from nitrous oxide to paint. Inhalants are not smoked but are inhaled, there is a difference. Example of inhalants are plastic cement, gasoline, paint thinners, hair sprays, nitrous oxide (whip its), air fresheners and so much more.

The 7 drug categories: Cannabis

Cannabis is the scientific name of what is commonly known as marijuana or pot. The active ingredient in marijuana is delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or better known as THC. This category includes all drugs that have this active ingredient THC. Examples of cannabis are weed, hashish, and synthetics such as Dronabinol.

For the most part every drug out there can fall in one of these 7 drug categories. Regardless all of them effect the brain and body but in different ways. The 7 drug categories are a means of classifying each substance out there and determining its effects.

Sources: http://www.lapdonline.org/get_informed/content_basic_view/1039