NARCOTIC IDENTITIES, INFLUENCES, CAUSES AND EFFECTS

Prepared by: TOMMY VON D. LUCAS, R.CRIM

THE DANGEROUS DRUGS IDENTITIES

Dangerous drugs refer to the broad categories or classes of controlled substances.
Controlled substance are generally grouped according to pharmacological
classifications, effects and as to their legal criteria.
General Drug Classification
A. According to effects, the dangerous drugs are classified as:
1. Depressants – are group of drugs that has the effect of depressing the
Central nervous System
2. Stimulants- are group of drugs having the effect of stimulating the
central nervous system.
3. Hallucinations- refers to the group of drugs that are considered to be
mind altering drugs and give the general effect of mood distortion.
B. According to medical Pharmacology, dangerous drugs are classified as:
1. Depressants
2. Narcotics
3. Tranquilizers
4. Stimulants
5. Hallucinogens
6. Solvents/ Inhalants
C. According to Legal Categories ( In accordance to R.A 6425)
1. Prohibited Drugs
a. Narcotics- refers to the group of the drug opium and it derivatives,
Morphine, Heroin, Codeine, etc. including synthetic opiates
b. Stimulants- refers to the group of the drug Cocaine, Alpha and Beta
Eucaine, etc.
c. Hallucinogens- refers to the group of drugs like Marijuana, LSD
(lysergic acid diethylamide) mescaline, etc.
2. Regulated Drugs
 a. Barbiturates- refers to the group of depressant drug known as
“Veronal” like Luminal, Amytal, Nembutal, Surital, Butisol,
Penthontal, Seconal, etc.
b. Hypnotics- are group of drugs such as Mandrax, Quaalude,
Fardormir, and others.
c. Amphetamines- are group of stimulant drugs like Benzedrine,
Dexedrine, Methedrine, Preludin, etc.
3. Volatile Substances (P.D 1619)
The group of liquid, solid or mixed substances having the property of
releasing toxic vapors or fumes which when sniffed, physiological
system of the body procedures or induces a condition of intoxication,
excitement or dulling of the brain or nervous system.
A. Classifications of Dangerous Drugs
(According to Effects)
The Depressants (Downers)
1. Narcotics- are drugs, which relieve pain and produce profound sleep or
stupor when introduced to the body.
2. Opium- derived from a poppy plant- Papaver somniferum popularly
known as “gum”, “gamot” ‘’kalamay” or “ panocha”
3. Morphine- most commonly used and best used opiate. Effective as
painkiller times potent than opium, with a high dependence- producing
potential. Morphine exerts action characterized by analgesia,
drowsiness, mood changes, and mental clouding.
4. Heroin – is three to five times more powerful than morphine from which
it is derived and the most addicting opium derivative. With continued
use, addiction occurs within 14 days.
5. Codeine- A derivative of morphine, commonly available in cough
preparations. These cough medicine have been widely abused by the
youth whenever hard narcotics are difficult to obtain.
6. Paregoric- a tincture of opium in combination with camphor. Commonly
used as a household remedy for diarrhea and abdominal pain.
7. Demerol and Methadone – common synthetic drugs with morphine –
like effects. Demerol is widely used as a painkiller in childbirth while
methadone is the drug of choice in the withdrawal treatment of heroin
dependents since it relieves the physical craving for heroin
 8. Barbiturates – are drugs used for inducing sleep in persons plagued with
anxiety, mental stress, and insomnia. They are also of value in the
treatment of epilepsy and hypertension.
9. Seconal- commonly used among hospitality girls. Sudden withdrawal
from these drugs is even more dangerous than opiate withdrawal
10. Tranquilizers – are drugs that calm and relax and diminish anxiety. They
are used in the treatment of nervous states and some mental disorders
without producing sleep.
11.Volatile Solvents- gaseous substances popularly known to abusers as
“gas”, “teardrops” Examples are plastic glues, hair spray, finger nail
polish, lighter fluid, rugby, paint, thinner, acetone, turpentine gasoline,
kerosene, varnishes and other aerosol products.
12.Alcohol – the king of all drugs with potential for abuse. It is considered
the most widely used, socially accepted and most extensively legalized
drug throughout the world.
The Stimulants (Uppers)
1. Amphetamines- used medically for weight reducing in obesity, relief of mild
depression and treatment.
2. Cocaine- the drug taken from the coca bush plant (Erythroxylon Coca)
grows in South America. It is usually in the form of powder that can be
taken orally, injected or sniffed as to achieved euphoria or an intense
feeling of “ highness”
3. Caffeine- it is present in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola drinks, and some wake-
up pills.
4. Shabu/ “poor man’s cocaine” – chemically known as methamphetamine
hydrochloride. It is a central nervous system stimulant and sometimes
called “upper” or “speed”.
5. Nicotine- an active component in tobacco with acts as a powerful stimulant
of the central nervous system.
The Hallucinogens (Psychedelic)
1. Marijuana – it is the most commonly abused hallucinogen in the Philippines
because it can be grown extensively in the country many users choose to
smoke marijuana include a feeling of grandeur.
2. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)- This drug is the most powerful of the
psychedelics obtained from ergot, a fungus that attacks rye kernels. LSD is
1000 times more powerful than marijuana as supply, large enough for a trip
can be taken from the glue on the flab of an envelope, from the hidden
areas inside one’s clothes.
3. Peyote- Peyote is derived from the surface part of a small gray brown
cactus. Peyote emits a nauseating odor and its user suffers from nausea
4. Mescaline – it is alkaloid hallucinogen extracted from peyote cactus and
can also be synthesized in the laboratory.
5. STP (Serenity, Tranquility and Peace) - it is a take- off on the motor oil
additive. It is a chemical derivative of mescaline claimed to produce more
violent and longer effects than mescaline dose.
6. Psilocybin- This hallucinogens alkaloid from small Mexican mushrooms are
used by Mexican Indians today.
7. Morning Glory Seeds- The black and brown seeds of the wild tropical
morning glory are used to produce hallucinations.
B. The Commonly Abused Drugs
1. Sedatives – are depressant drugs, which reduce anxiety and excitement
such as barbiturates, non - barbiturates, tranquilizers and alcohol.
2. Stimulants- are drugs, which increase alertness and activity such as
amphetamines, cocaine and caffeine.
3. Hallucinogens/ Psychedlics- drugs which affect sensation, thinking, self-
awareness and emotion such as LSD, mescaline and marijuana.
4. Narcotics- Drugs that relieve pain and often induce sleep such as the
opiates, morphine codeine and heroin.
5. Solvents - or the volatile substances which are found to be the most
commonly abused by children lured into the drug habit.
C. Plants as Sources of Dangerous Drug
1. The Marijuana Plant- The term marijuana is a Spanish- Mexican term used
to refer to the Indian hemp plant.
2. The opium poppy plant- The opium poppy plant is scientifically known as
Papaver Somniferum. The word Papaver is a Greek term which means
dream/ induced sleep.
3. The Coca Bush Plant- the coca bush plant is scientifically known as
Erythroxylon Coca common in South America. The plant grows in
mountainous and tropical climate area, on clay like soil.
4. The Epedra Plant – known to the Chinese as “Ma Huang” The epedra plant (
Ephedra Vulgaris) is a psychoactive plant that contains psychotropic
properties one of which is the alkaloid Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine , an
active ingredient of anti-asthma drugs.
5. The Peyote Cactus- It is also known as “Narcotic Cactus”. It is commonly
found in Mexico and its borders.