Drug
An uncoated aspirin tablet contains about 90% acetylsalicylic acid mixed with inert fillers. This simple pill illustrates the core definition of a drug as any chemical substance that is not a nutrient or essential dietary ingredient. When administered to a living organism, it produces a biological effect. Consumption can happen through inhalation, injection, smoking, or absorption via a patch on the skin. Some methods include dissolving the substance under the tongue or using a suppository. A pharmaceutical drug serves to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose a disease. It may also promote general well-being for an individual.
The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System assigns every drug a unique alphanumeric code. This system groups drugs into classes based on similar chemical structures and mechanisms of action. Another major framework is the Biopharmaceutics Classification System which sorts substances by solubility and permeability properties. Psychoactive drugs affect the central nervous system to alter perception, mood, or consciousness. These substances fall into groups like stimulants, depressants, antidepressants, and hallucinogens. The most widely used drugs globally include caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. All drugs carry potential side effects that vary from person to person.
In English, the noun drug likely originates from Old French words meaning dry barrels. Middle Dutch roots refer to medicinal plants preserved as dry matter inside these containers. Spanish lexicographer Federico Corriente Córdoba documented a possible origin in 1990s research linking the term to Al-Andalus language forms. The word has evolved into a skunked term with negative connotations today. People often use it as a synonym for illegal substances like cocaine or heroin. In other contexts, the terms drug and medicine remain interchangeable despite this shift in public perception.
Drug action is highly specific and may only be detected in certain individuals. The ten highest-grossing drugs in the United States help only four to twenty-five percent of people. Activity often depends on the genotype of a patient receiving treatment. Erbitux increases survival rates for colorectal cancer patients who carry a particular mutation in the EGFR gene. Vemurafenib serves melanoma patients carrying a mutation in the BRAF gene. Phase III trials cost between one hundred million and seven hundred million dollars per drug. This high cost drives the development of personalized medicines adapted to individual genetic profiles.
Amazonian shamans use ayahuasca brew to achieve religious ecstasy during healing sessions. Mazatec shamans maintain a long tradition using Salvia divinorum to facilitate visionary states of consciousness. The Xhosa people regard Silene undulata as a sacred plant used to induce vivid lucid dreams. Peyote cactus has been a major source of psychedelic mescaline for Native Americans for at least five thousand years. Most modern mescaline comes from San Pedro columnar cacti rather than vulnerable peyote species. Rastafari communities use marijuana as a sacrament within their religious ceremonies.
Nootropics are drugs claimed to improve human cognitive abilities like memory, concentration, and mood. Methylphenidate branded commonly as Ritalin is an increasingly used study drug among students. At high doses this substance can become highly addictive and lead to psychosis or heart problems. Intravenous use of methylphenidate causes emphysematous damage to the lungs known as Ritalin lung. Designer steroids mimic performance-enhancing effects often taken by professional athletes. Synthetic cannabinoids have been produced for a longer period of time and used in designer cannabis products. Since the late 1990s many synthesized drugs have entered newer classes of controlled substances in Japan and the United Kingdom.
Cannabis remains the most commonly consumed controlled recreational drug across the world. Its use is illegal in many countries but legal in several others for personal consumption only. Marijuana represents a more mild form of cannabis compared to hashish resin. Alcohol stands as the most widely used legal intoxicant globally. The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was brought about in 1961 to prohibit narcotics except for medical research. A second treaty called the Convention on Psychotropic Substances appeared in 1971 to address newer psychoactive drugs. The Food and Drug Administration regulates food safety and prescription medications within the United States.
Common questions
What is the core definition of a drug according to the script?
A drug is any chemical substance that is not a nutrient or essential dietary ingredient. When administered to a living organism, it produces a biological effect.
How does the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System organize drugs?
The system assigns every drug a unique alphanumeric code and groups them into classes based on similar chemical structures and mechanisms of action.
Where did the English word drug originate from historically?
The noun likely originates from Old French words meaning dry barrels with Middle Dutch roots referring to medicinal plants preserved as dry matter inside these containers.
Why do some drugs only work for specific individuals?
Drug activity often depends on the genotype of a patient receiving treatment. For example Erbitux increases survival rates for colorectal cancer patients who carry a particular mutation in the EGFR gene.
Which religious communities use psychoactive substances like ayahuasca or peyote?
Amazonian shamans use ayahuasca brew while Mazatec shamans maintain a tradition using Salvia divinorum. Native Americans have used peyote cactus as a major source of psychedelic mescaline for at least five thousand years.
What treaties regulate controlled substances globally today?
The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs was brought about in 1961 to prohibit narcotics except for medical research. A second treaty called the Convention on Psychotropic Substances appeared in 1971 to address newer psychoactive drugs.