Drugs
Drugs are substances which change normal bodily function whether that be psychologically or physically. A cup of tea or coffee contains caffeine, a stimulant and a cigarette contains nicotine. These along with alcohol are legal in the UK and so are freely available but most drugs are illegal. Even some prescription drugs are illegal to possess if you don’t have a valid prescription.
Drugs can be both helpful and harmful. If a doctor prescribes a patient specific medication for a specific illness there is no guarantee there won’t be side effects. On the other hand, some people would be unable to survive without a cocktail of medicines to manage a disease or illness.
There are two main categories to mention; medicinal and recreational.
Medicinal: these are drugs which are taken to treat symptoms of an illness or condition; they are also used for preventative measures, for example in the use of vaccinations.
There are three categories with regards to the dispensing of medicinal drugs
- over the counter - no restrictions, can be bought at the chemist shop or supermarket for example
- pharmacy medicines - can only be sold by or under the supervision of a pharmacist but no doctor’s prescription needed (they show a P on the label)
- prescription only medicines – a prescription is required from a licensed medical professional (they show POM on the label).
Recreational: these are drugs which are taken purely for personal enjoyment with no medical justification. Excluding alcohol and caffeine, the most commonly taken drugs for recreational use are:
- Tobacco
- Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Hallucinogens
- Amphetamines
The problem with recreational drugs is that they are not put through the tests that medicinal drugs are. You cannot be sure when you buy cocaine that the white powder is cocaine or mostly talcum powder or something more dangerous. In fact the chances are that what you buy on the street is not pure at all, it’s a money making strategy by the drug dealers. They “cut” the cocaine for example with other powders to bulk it out so they have more of their “product” to sell.
To find out more about Drugs.co.uk please visit Domains.co.uk