 Originate from Old French "drogue", possibly deriving later into "droge-vate" from Middle Dutch meaning "dry barrels", referring to medicinal plants preserved in them.

 A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and everyday usage.

 In pharmacology, a drug is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.“

 Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as opioids or hallucinogens. They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception, consciousness, personality, and behavior.

 A medication or medicine is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an illness or medical condition, or may be used as preventive medicine that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms.

 The spiritual and religious use of drugs has been occurring since the dawn of our species. Drugs that are considered to have spiritual or religious use are called entheogens. Some religions are based completely on the use of certain drugs. Entheogens are mostly hallucinogens, being either psychedelics or deliriants, but some are also stimulants and sedatives.

 Nootropics, also commonly referred to as "smart drugs", are drugs that are claimed to improve human cognitive abilities. Nootropics are used to improve memory, concentration, thought, mood, learning, and many other things. Some nootropics are now beginning to be used to treat certain diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease.

 They are also commonly used to regain brain function lost during aging. Similarly, Drugs such as steroids improve human physical capabilities and are sometimes used (legally or not) for this purpose, often by professional athletes.  Recreational drugs use is the use of psychoactive substances to have fun, for the experience, or to enhance an already positive experience. National laws prohibit the use of many different recreational drugs and medicinal drugs that have the potential for recreational use are heavily regulated. Many other recreational drugs on the other hand are legal, widely culturally accepted, and at the most have an age restriction on using and/or purchasing them.  Alcohol  Tobacco  Betel nut  Caffeine products Drugs, both medicinal and recreational, can be administered in a number of ways. Many drugs can be administered in a variety of ways rather than just one.  Inhaled, (breathed into the lungs), as an aerosol or dry powder. (This includes smoking a substance)  Injected as a solution, suspension or emulsion either: intramuscular, intravenous, intraperitoneal, intraosseous.  Insufflation, or snorted into the nose.  Orally, as a liquid or solid, that is absorbed through the intestines.  Rectally as a suppository, that is absorbed by the rectum or colon.  Sublingually, diffusing into the blood through tissues under the tongue.  Topically, usually as a cream or ointment. A drug administered in this manner may be given to act locally or systemically.  Vaginally as a suppository, primarily to treat vaginal infections.

 Lifestyle drug is an imprecise term commonly applied to medications which treat non-life threatening and non-painful conditions such as baldness, impotence, wrinkles, or acne, which the speaker perceives as either not medical problems at all or as minor medical conditions relative to others.  There is direct impact of lifestyle drugs on society particularly in developing world. Implications associated with labeling of indications and products sales of these lifestyle drugs may be varied. Drugs can, over time, switch from 'lifestyle' to 'mainstream' use. Cocaine  Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. It is both a stimulant of the central nervous system and an appetite suppressant, giving rise to what has been described as a euphoric sense of happiness and increased energy. It is most often used recreationally for this effect.  Cocaine is a potent central nervous system stimulant. Its effects can last from 20 minutes to several hours, depending upon the dosage of cocaine taken, purity, and method of administration. PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS  Runny noise  Loss of appetite  Loss of weight  Noise bleeds  Loss of concentration  Frequent sniffing

EFFECTS OF DRUGS  Over confidence  Convulsions  Depression  Paranoia  Even death

DANGERS  It's dangers includes suicide from lows,  Dependence  Criminal behavior  Psychosis  Heart attack  Respiratory failure  Damage to tissues  Muscle pains and weakness  Nausea and vomiting Crack Cocaine  Crack cocaine, often nicknamed “crack”, is believed to have been created and made popular during the early 1980s . Because of the dangers for manufacturers of using ether to produce pure freebase cocaine, producers began to omit the step of removing the freebase precipitate from the ammonia mixture. Typically, filtration processes are also omitted.  Baking soda is now most often used as a base rather than ammonia for reasons of lowered odor and toxicity; however, any weak base can be used to make crack cocaine. Heroin  Heroin is an opiate processed directly from the extracts of the opium poppy. It was originally created to help cure people of addiction to morphine.  Heroin is the most dangerous of all the abused drugs. Heroin is a highly dangerous and addictive drug that is increasing dramatically in popularity.

PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS  Loss appetite and weight  Sleepiness  decreased sex drive

EFFECTS OF DRUGS  Infectious disease  Bacterial infections  Abscesses nausea and vomiting  Personality changes  Impaired breathing

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS  Sweating  Nausea  Vomiting  Trembling  Stomach cramps  Diarrhea  Hallucinations  Felling of terror  Cold sweat  Skin and possibilities of heart collapse

Methamphetamine  Methamphetamime, popularly shortened to meth or ice, is a psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug. Methamphetamine enters the brain and triggers a cascading release of nor epinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Since it stimulates the mesolimbic reward pathway, causing euphoria and excitement, it is prone to abuse and addiction.  Users may become obsessed or perform repetitive tasks such as cleaning, hand-washing, or assembling and disassembling objects. Withdrawal is characterized by excessive sleeping, eating and depression-like symptoms, often accompanied by anxiety and drug-craving. LSD  Lysergic acid diethylamide, LSD, LSD-25, or acid, is a semi synthetic psychedelic drug of the tryptamine family. Arguably the most regarded of all psychedelics, it is considered mainly as a recreational drug, an entheogen, and a tool in use to supplement various types of exercises for transcendence including in meditation, psychonautics, and illegal psychedelic psychotherapy whether self administered or not.  LSD’s psychological effects colloquially called a “trip” vary greatly from person to person, depending on factors such as previous experiences, state of mind and environment, as well as dose strength. They also vary from one trip to another, and even as time passes during a single trip. Ecstasy  Ecstasy (MDMA) is a semi synthetic psychedelic entactogen of the phenethylamine family that is much less visual with more stimulant like effects than most all other common “trip” producing psychedelics. It is considered mainly a recreational drug that’s often used with sex and associated with club drugs, as an entheogen, and a tool in use to supplement various types of practices for transcendence.  The primary effects of MDMA include an increased awareness of the senses, feelings of openness, euphoria, empathy, love, happiness, heightened self-awareness, feeling of mental clarity and an increased appreciation of music and movement. Opium  Opium is a resinous narcotic formed from the latex released by lacerating (or “scoring”) the immature seed pods of opium poppies (Papaver somniferum). It contains up to 16% morphine, an opiate alkaloid, which is most frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade.  Opium has gradually been superseded by a variety of purified, semi-synthetic, and synthetic opioids with progressively stronger effect, and by other general anesthesia. Marijuana  Cannabis, known as marijuana in its herbal form, is a psychoactive product of the plant Cannabis sativa. Humans have been consuming cannabis since prehistory, although in the 20th century there was a rise in its use for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. It is estimated that about four percent of the world’s adult population use cannabis annually.  It has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed, usually by smoking or ingestion. The minimum amount of THC required to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. Psilocybin Mushrooms  Psilocybin mushrooms also called psilocybian mushrooms are fungi that contain the psychedelic substances psilocybin and psilocin, and occasionally other psychoactive tryptamines. There are multiple colloquial terms for psilocybin mushrooms, the most common being magic mushrooms or shrooms.  When psilocybin is ingested, it is broken down to produce psilocin, which is responsible for the hallucinogenic effects. The intoxicating effects of psilocybin-containing mushrooms typically last anywhere from 3 to 7 hours depending on dosage, preparation method and personal metabolism.

PCP  PCP (Phencyclidine) is a dissociative drug formerly used as an anesthetic agent, exhibiting hallucinogenic and neurotoxin effects. It is commonly known as Angel Dust, but is also known as Wet, Sherm, Sherman Hemsley, Rocket Fuel, Ashy Larry, Sherman's Tank, Wack, Hulk Hogan, Ozone, Hannah, Hog, Manitoba Shlimbo, and Embalming Fluid, among other names.  Although the primary psychoactive effects of the drug only last hours, total elimination from the body is prolonged, typically extending over weeks. PCP is consumed in a recreational manner by drug users, mainly in the United States, where the demand is met by illegal production. It comes in both powder and liquid forms.

 The most obvious reason for taking drugs or alcohol is to have a good time. The physical high and/or increased sense of euphoria can be extremely pleasant in the short term and make social activities more enjoyable.  A tolerant social environment with friends who indulge in drugs or alcohol can induce others to drink as well. Peers may also wheedle or cajole people into drinking when they may not otherwise be willing.

 When people become addicted to drugs or alcohol, they develop a physical craving for the substance that cannot be overcome by willpower alone.

 People may drink or use drugs to relieve stress or reduce the pain of psychological wounds.

 Some people may be genetically predisposed toward drinking or using drugs, with the urge to indulge hard-wired into their DNA.

 Understand that every drug user has his or her own motives and reasons for doing what they do.

 Consider the socially reinforcing nature of drug use.

 Understand that some people use drugs such as LSD, Mescaline, Mushrooms, Salvia and so on for spiritual or intellectual reasons.

 Don't discount the effects of the drugs.  Think about mood enhancements.

 Chalk it up to rebellious youth.

 Remember that drug users, no matter how unintelligent or evil they may seem, are still human.

 Understand addiction.

 Understand that, legality aside, alcohol and nicotine and even caffeine are 'drugs'.  Just because a drug is illegal does not necessarily make it a more or less addictive drug, nor does it change the damage it can do to an individual or society.

 Learn not to judge people based on their life decisions.

 Fight ignorance.

 Understand that people who use drugs see you in a way you cannot imagine  When a drug user feels safe talking with you, they may explain honestly about what compels them to use their drug.

Warnings  All of the reasons mentioned should not convince you to use drugs as well. Just because others do it does not make it right for you.

 If you do choose to do drugs for any reason, understand the risks involved. You may not notice damage from drugs immediately, but some substances will have long term effects that could seriously harm your life.

 Remember to do the research. Some drugs are more harmful than others, and many have hidden health risks.