Gateway Drugs - 3897 Words

Gateway Drugs and Common Drug Abuse The oldest known written record of drug use is a clay tablet from the ancient Sumerian civilization of the Middle East. This tablet, made in the 2000 s B.C., lists about a dozen drug prescriptions. An Egyptian scroll from bout 1550 B.C. names more than 800 prescriptions containing about 700 drugs. The ancient Chinese, Greek and Romans also used many drugs. The Greeks and Romans used opium to relieve pain. The Egyptians used castor oil as a laxative. The Chinese ate liver to cure anemia. In the 1500,s and 1600 s, doctors and scientists made important advances in Pharmacology and in other fields of science. In the early 1500 s, Swiss physician Philippus Paracelsus pioneered in the use of minerals†¦show more content†¦Bad trips and flashbacks are only part of the risks of LSD use. LSD users may manifest relatively long-lasting psychoses, such as schizophrenia or severe depression. It is difficult to determine the extent and mechanism of the LSD involvement in these illnesses. Schreiber 3 Most users of LSD voluntarily decrease or stop its use over time. LSD is not considered an addictive drug since it does not produce compulsive drug-seeking behavior, as do cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, alcohol, and nicotine. However, like many of the addictive drugs, LSD produces tolerance, so some users who take the drug repeatedly must take progressively higher doses to achieve the state of intoxication that they had previously achieved. This is an extremely dangerous practice, given the unpredictability of the drug. MDMA (Ecstasy) MDMA is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with both stimulant (amphetamine-like) and hallucinogenic (LSD-like) properties. Street names for MDMA include Ecstasy, Adam, XTC, hug, beans, and love drug. Its chemical structure (methylenedioxymethamphetamine, MDMA) is similar to methamphetamine, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and mescaline - other synthetic drugs known to cause brain damage. MDMA also is neurotoxic. In addition, in high doses it can cause a sharp increase in body temperature (malignant hyperthermia) leading to muscle breakdown and kidney and cardiovascular system failure. Brain imaging research in humans indicates that MDMA causes injury to theShow MoreRelatedThe Gateway Drug1517 Words   |  7 PagesNaloxone: The Gateway Drug Classified as an antidote, naloxone gives individuals who overdose on opioids a second chance at life, but without access to proper treatment, these users will continue living in the cycle of addiction until either finding enough strength to pull through the recovery process or falling victim to life’s only certainty prematurely. In response to the ever-growing opioid epidemic in the United States, many elected officials, health-centered agencies and addiction support groupsRead MoreMarijuana: A Boon or A Gateway Drug876 Words   |  4 Pagesis the most popular drug plant. These products often used for their psychoactive effects. This can include heightened mood or euphoria, relaxation, and an increase in appetite. Popularity of the marijuana has increased widely these days between all age groups. Smoker’s says, â€Å"There is no harm in smoking marijuana, as it is non-addictive, it relaxes your body and connects you to your soul whereas, non-smokers say, â€Å"There is no reason one should smoke it because it’s a gateway drug.† Those who have neverRead MoreMarijuan The Gateway Drug1595 Words   |  7 PagesCannabis; the gateway drug to harder narcotics or mankind’s unused saviour? Is cannabis as bad as we are led to believe or is it an untapped natural resource that the higher powers refuse to acknowledge? Since 1928 cannabis has been illegal in the United Kingdom. However it is also the most extensively used drug within the UK. This naturally found plant is known around the world, mainly for giving its users a ‘high’ however what many people don’t know is that this plant has also been tested andRead MoreMarijuana as a Gateway Drug2211 Words   |  9 PagesSociology 225 Research Paper Marijuana as a Gateway Drug The gateway theory is a hypothesis which states that the use of gateway drugs (alcohol, tobacco and marijuana) lead to the use of more illicit drugs such as heroin and cocaine. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. â€Å"Schedule I drugs are classified as having a high potential for abuse, no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United StatesRead MoreMarijuana a Gateway Drug?906 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana Is a Gateway Drug First time marijuana use will lead to harder drugs, creates health risks including HIV. Earleywine, M. (2004). Marijuana Is Not a Gateway to Other Addictive Drugs. Most marijuana users do not touch hard drugs. First time marijuana use does not mean an individual will use harder drugs because people will use whatever drug is available when they are ready to experiment. According to data from the 2000 National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)Read MoreEssay on Pros and Cons of Legalizing Marijuana557 Words   |  3 Pagesand should be illegal, and some people think it is good in some ways if used properly. It should be legal because it has few negative effects, it serves other purposes than getting people stoned, and it is better than other drugs. Many advocates say â€Å" Marijuana is a common drug used by many people.†(Sandra) A lot of people think marijuana has numerous amounts of negative effects on the body. Marijuana helps the body in many different ways. It relaxes and relives stress from many people. It has beenRead MoreThe Drug Marijuana916 Words   |  4 PagesMarijuana is one of the most commonly abused drugs around the world and is categorized by the US Drug Enforcement Agency as a schedule I drug. This means it has a higher chance of being abused. (â€Å"Legalization of marijuana: potential impact on youth† 1825). Those who are in support of legalizing marijuana do not understand the negative effects of legalizing marijuana and marijuana use itself. There are several arguments for legalizing marijuana, however, the reasons for keeping it illegal outweighRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?890 Words   |  4 Pagesimpair cognition and increase the risk for psychiatric diseases, such as schizophre nia.† (1) May cause death. In similar circumstances, people who advocate against marijuana being legalized may talk about, how marijuana is a gateway drug and if marijuana is legalized than drug use among kids will increase drastically. The position that I just stated is wrong and here’s why. What if your son or daughter or mother is passing away and the only thing that will assist them live little longer is marijuanaRead More paper1625 Words   |  7 Pageshow many deaths come from tobacco and alcohol about a half million. That is only deaths that doesn’t say how many people have lip cancer and things that aren’t going to kill them. People say marijuana is addicting, but marijuana is not an addicting drug. People who smoke marijuana feel relaxed, and also laugh more then usual. I don’t know why you laugh more but it is true. When using marijuana you do get less coordinated and don’t perform many things as well as when not high. As long as p eople dontRead MoreHayden Hines. Prof. Hawk. Comp 2. 9 Am-9:50 Am. 5 May 2017.1040 Words   |  5 Pagesgiven 30+ years of prison time. A popular belief today is that marijuana should be categorized as a harsh drug that produces a health hazard and if caught with it, deserves a harsh penalty and should in most cases be considered a gateway drug. A gateway drug is something that people see as a drug that isn’t as hard-core as others, but using this drug may lead some to try even more dangerous drugs because eventually they will need something more intense than the high that marijuana gives them. While