Breaking the Chains: Why is Drug Addiction a Huge Problem?
Drug Addiction is an epidemic that has spread across the country in recent decades and has shown little to no signs of stopping. Some drugs that are commonly abused are prescription opioid medications such as oxycontin and Percocet which help to alleviate pain. Cocaine, methamphetamines, and heroin are often sold illegally as well. However, other substances such as alcohol and nicotine-containing products are completely legal and do not require a prescription, yet they add to the problem of drug addiction.
Not only is it hard to maintain control over the distribution of addictive substances, especially ones that are commonly available to the public, but also to control individuals who have addiction. The more severe the drug, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or heroin are classified as highly addictive drugs, the harder it is for an individual to recover and not relapse. Drugs change the psychological and physiological brain chemistry.
How Does Drug Addiction Start?
Depending on the circumstances of the individual, addiction can arise from situations such as peer pressure from colleagues at school, being prescribed a highly addictive substance, or coming across drugs sometime during their life. Multiple factors can contribute to why a person would start taking a drug. Still, once a person is addicted, it is a result of the brain’s neurological connections that maintain this addiction.
At this point, it is not only a matter of patients not having the willpower or the best intentions of recovering, but rather altering their brain to semi-normalcy. Their brain cannot change back to before it was taking the drug but is changed indefinitely.
What are some addictive substances and how addictive are they?
There are a few ways that healthcare providers classify drugs and put them into categories. “Classifying drugs by chemical similarities is useful because drugs that are chemically similar often have similar impacts and risks,” (Drug classifications 2024). By doing this, they can associate what drugs are and predict what drug the patient would most likely abuse due to a drug’s chemical similarities to another. However, there is still disagreement about how drugs should be categorized or classified, so there is no definitive list of drugs and their classifications.
The few ways in which drugs are classified are the following: chemical makeup, effect on the body, and legality of use.
What does it mean to classify drugs based on their chemical makeup?
Drugs based on their chemical makeup are categorized into the following groups:
Alcohol: beer, wine, hard liquor.
Opioids: Heroin, Fentanyl, Oxycodone/Oxycontin
Benzodiazepines: Xanax, Valium, Ativan
Cannabinoids: Marijuana, Hashish
Barbiturates: Phenobarbital, Luminal, Amytal
All these drugs and their chemical structures affect different parts of the body and the brain. Their impact on the mind and the body are as follows:
Alcohol: A central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Since it is a CNS depressant, some side effects include impaired judgment, reaction time, and perception as well as lower inhibition and euphoria. It also causes lasting damage to the liver if used in excess.
Opioids: A drug that mimics neurotransmitters that activate the mu receptors in the brain. This leads to feelings of extreme pleasure and can be used as a painkiller for a short duration without the patient becoming dependent. However, if used for longer periods of time, it can lead to addiction. Opioids usually are either derived from opium or mimic the effects of opium.
Benzodiazepines: (aka Benzos) A drug that interacts with the brain’s gamma-aminobutyric acid-A (GABA-A) receptor. However, “Each benzo interacts with GABA-A differently, which is why each benzo impacts the body and mind differently,” (Drug classifications 2024). These drugs are mostly used for patients with psychiatric disorders or sleep conditions. Yet, these drugs are commonly abused and can lead to psychiatric and medical issues.
Cannabinoids: A drug that is similar in chemical structure to the active ingredient in marijuana, THC. This creates feelings of elation, aka high, in individuals. However, it affects a person’s mental and physical capabilities and functions. It is considered less addictive than other drugs and has been becoming more legalized in the states.
Barbiturates: A drug that acts by slowing down the CNS and is derived from barbituric acid. These drugs are also used for psychiatric disorders and sleep conditions. However, they are also used for anesthesia, and to treat epilepsy and headaches. Though these are highly addictive drugs that if used in excess can cause the body’s systems to shut down.
What does it mean to classify drugs based on their effects on the body?
Healthcare providers classify drugs in the way that they impact the mind and body (Drug classifications 2024). The following are how drugs are categorized:
Depressants: These drugs create a feeling of relaxation, tiredness, and euphoria. Common uses would be for mental illness or sleep deprivation but are often abused. Examples include alcohol, barbituates, and opiates.
Stimulants: These drugs create a feeling of wakefulness, increased energy, and concentration with short-term increases in productivity and performance. However, in the long term, they can be highly addictive. Examples include Adderall, Cocaine, and Meth.
Hallucinogens: These drugs alter one’s perception of reality and create auditory or visual hallucinations. Though they are not as addictive, their effects can be severe and dangerous. Examples include LSD, PCP, and Psilocybin mushrooms.
Inhalants: This category is not as studied since individuals will use things that are not meant for human inhalation. However, the effect of inhaling these products produces a feeling of a high. Though these are not as addictive, inhaling these chemicals or products is very dangerous. Examples include gasoline, paint thinner, and nail polish remover.
What does it mean to classify a drug based on legality?
Their level of addiction determines this way of classifying drugs through an FDA-approved classification system. Drugs are ranked based on what class of drugs they are and whether they are approved for use under medical supervision. Five classes of drugs are each labeled as “schedule”. As the class number goes higher, the less restrictive the drug is used. This means that Schedule I is the most restricted because it contains highly addictive drugs, and Schedule V is the least restrictive. This is each of the classifications below:
Schedule I: These drugs have even harsher regulations and harsher penalties than Schedule II drugs, and have no legitimate medical use. These drugs have a high risk of abuse. Examples of drugs included in this class are Ecstasy, Quaaludes, and GHB.
Schedule II: These drugs have more regulations and harsher penalties than Schedule III drugs. These drugs have medical use however there is a higher risk for abuse and a severe risk for dependency. Examples of drugs in this class include Codeine, Methadone, and Ritalin.
Schedule III: These drugs have more regulations and penalties for use than Schedule IV drugs. However, they still have medical use and have a moderate or low potential for abuse and addiction. Examples of drugs in this class include Anabolic steroids and Ketamine
Schedule IV: These drugs do have regulations and penalties for use. However, they still have medical use and have a lower potential for abuse and addiction. Examples of drugs in this class include Ambien, Darvocet, and Tramadol.
Schedule V: These drugs are legally recognized for medical use and are not highly as addictive as Schedule IV drugs. Thus they don’t have any penalties or regulations for use. Examples of drugs in this class are Lomotil, Motofen, and Lyrica.
These classifications are used to help state regulators create policies and laws to protect people’s health and safety. However, there is still a problem with the distribution, use/misuse, and production of these drugs across the country. People need to be aware of the effects of each type of drug based on certain classifications to spread awareness of their effects on individuals. This is the best way that the spread of drugs can be decreased.
Sources:
Drug classifications. Addiction Center. (2024, April 1). https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/drug-classifications/#:~:text=Many%20people%20classify%20drugs%20by,and%20%E2%80%9Cdowners%2C%E2%80%9D%20respectively.
