A drug is a substance or chemical that affects the way our bodies and minds work. Some are artificial and others come from plants, minerals, and animals.
A drug is a chemical used in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease to bring about an alteration in one's mental or emotional state. (Chemistry of Drugs by Newton)
Common Substances From Plants
Aspirin (from willow bark; used for pain) Caffeine (from coffee, tea, cocoa; used as a stimulant) Cannabis (from cannabis sativa or marijuana plant; recreational drug having some benefits in medicine) Digitalis (from foxglove; used for the heart) Taxol (from yew tree; used in the treatment of cancer) Tobacco (from nicotiana tabacum; recreational drug used mainly by smokers)
Designer Drug
A synthetic chemical compound developed for the treatment of a variety of diseases and disorders--aka club drug, rave drug, controlled substance analog.
Orphan Drug
Orphan drugs are used to treat a "rare" or extremely rare disease. A disease only found in just a few people. Since there is no need to mass produce the drug, pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to recover the costs for research and development.
*Pressure to legalize because marijuana can bring relief to suffers of multiple sclerosis, arthritis, and cancer.
A Few Things About COCAINE...
The popularity of cocaine abuse has ruined a many lives. Public awareness about scientific studies is slow compared to the profits from its sales. Many dealers try to convince users that cocaine isn't addictive; but studies have shown that the very first "hit" causes changes that lead to physical addiction. Plus, even with minimal usage of the drug, problems occur such as the inability to go to sleep, increased accidents, depression, fatigue, thoughts of suicide, seizures, low self-esteem, hemorrages in brain and lungs, paranoia, and loss of appetite. Conclusion: COCAINE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
DEATH In scientific tests when cocaine was given to test animals, the ultimate consequence was death. Cocaine is considered more addicting than heroin and more lethal. The deadliness of cocaine has radically increased partially based on the devising of new methods, such as shooting up (intravenous injection) and freebasing (smoking crack).
MAKEUP Cocaine is a naturally occurring stimulant derived from the leaves of the coca plant; however, unlike pure cocaine, coca leaves contain a variety of minerals and vitamins. These nutrients are believed to chemically reduce the toxic effects of the leaf which are not present in the drug.
HOW IT WORKS When snorting, shooting or freebasing, significant amounts of cocaine is delivered to brain in seconds! Once there, it acts upon the reward/punishment systems, the system that regulates "to do" or "not to do". It releases the chemical dopamine which plays an intricate role in brain functions. The brain usually stores just enough dopamine to meet normal demands. Cocaine causes a large release over a long period of time. This is considered "the first high" that causes one to become hooked after first use.
THE HORRID EXPERIENCE IN 3 STAGES First, acute intoxication followed by a false sense of self-confidence, less anxiety, a perception of clearer vision and understanding, and increased sexual appetite.
Second, the crash--the above euphoria is replaced with feelings of anxiety, fatigue, agitation, irritability, depression, and even thoughts of suicide. The abuser now face the choices of suffering through, take more to ease the crash, or take something less expensive to subsidize such as alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, etc.
Third, withdrawal--a lengthy period of limited ability to derive pleasure from normal activities, which can be lost permanently. At the same time cravings are occuring which can cause using again--hence the addiction.
For the addict to rid himself of the addiction, he/she must make the firm decision to take the difficult and scary step to seek help. The key is YOU MUST WANT TO GET CLEAN! You must find and focus on something or someone that is worth living for--worth cleaning up for. Be sure to seek PROFESSIONAL help for a reputable rehab program. At Embellir, we have phytonutrients that can assist recovery.
Here's To Your Health--Live Long And Prosper! Embellir Corporation 2577 Broad Avenue (Historic Arts District) Memphis TN 38112-2615 901.452.1950 (p) 901.452.1949 (f)
