Hallucinogens+vs+Narcotics

=Hallucinogens vs. Narcotics=

Introduction
Although there is not a certain definition of drugs, simply stated, a drug is a chemical substance that affects the functioning of living things, this happens by the drug being absorbed into the body of living organisms. They are used to relieve pain, to treat illness, or to improve one’s state of health or well-being. Drugs can kill bacteria, lower blood pressure, prevent seizures, relieve allergies, and do many remarkable things. There are many different categories of drugs all which have different uses and side effects. Some drugs are of those that follow: Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Allergies and common cold, antibacterial, antiviral drugs, hormones, anesthetics, depressants, narcotics, stimulants, hallucinogens, and drugs for the mind, heart, and brain. There are also many substances that blur the line between food and drug, such as some mushrooms and alcohols. The focus of this article will be on hallucinogens and narcotics.

A hallucinogen is a psychotropic drug, one that affects the human mind. Hallucinogenic drugs are consciousness-altering substances that stimulate changes in sensory perception and change the way people perceive things. There are three main categories of hallucinogens: psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants. Psychedelic drugs are often applied to any drug that alters perception such as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) and DMT. These are drugs that will change your senses, emotions, and/or perceptions. Luckily they are non toxic, and since they are mostly ingested it is very difficult to overdose while taking these drugs. This drug expands the realm of experience people can have ranging from one distorted sense to many distorted senses. Dissociatives are opposite and actually block perception of the physical senses, and in high doses can slow breathing and heart rate to dangerous levels. One common form of a dissociative hallucinogen is phencyclidine (PCP). Deliriants are considered true hallucinogen and affect one’s proper self, people often get in arguments with themselves, sleepwalk, etc. This is a more dangerous category, they are toxic and overdosing which leads to death can happen.

A narcotic is a drug that relieves pain and induces sleep. They cause central nervous system effects and are very prone to abuse. Commonly the term narcotic refers to the illegal drugs in this category, ones that have the potential to become addictive. Narcotics can be taken orally, inhaled, smoked, injected, by suppository or patches. Drugs that fall under this category are opium, cocaine, heroin, and the medically used morphine and codeine. Narcotics are highly addictive because they change the chemistry of the brain. They decrease the perception of pain and alter the body’s reaction to pain. The effects of narcotics are so much more intense than those of endorphins so when they are taken, the body creates less endorphins.

Chemical Principle


When PCP enters the brain it goes in the ion channel from the outside of the neuron. It then binds to a site inthe channel pore which causes it to block the flux of positive ions into the cell. This means that PCP inhibits depolarization of neurons causing interference with cognitive and nervous system functions. It is stored in fatty tissue and broken down by metabolism.
 * Phencyclidine (PCP)** being broken down when being smoked.

The structure of LSD is very fragile and can be destroyed easily. An interesting aspect of LSD is that chlorine destroys the molecules of LSD as soon as it touches them. This is because of the electron- donating effects of the indole ring. The double bond between the 8- position and the aromatic ring makes LSD prone to nucleophilic attacks by water or alcohol. Pure LSD also emits small flashes of light when shaken in the dark.
 * Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)**

**Morphine** is a [|benzylisoquinoline] alkaloid with two additional ring closures. Most semi-synthetic opioids, both of the morphine and [|codeine] subgroups, are created by modifying one or more of the following:
 * Halogenating or making other modifications at positions 1 and/or 2 on the morphine carbon skeleton.
 * The methyl group which makes morphine into codeine can be removed or added back, or replaced with another functional group like ethyl and others to make codeine analogues of morphine-derived drugs and vice versa. Codeine analogues of morphine-based drugs often serve as prodrugs of the stronger drug, as in codeine & morphine, hydrocodone & hydromorphone, oxycodone & oxymorphone, nicocodeine & nicomorphine, dihydrocodeine and dihydromorphine, &c. &c.
 * Saturating, opening, or other changes to the bond between positions 7 and 8, as well as adding, removing, or modifying functional groups to these positions; saturating, reducing, eliminating, or otherwise modifying the 7-8 bond and attaching a functional group at 14 yields [|hydromorphinol]; the oxidation of the hydroxyl group to a carbonyl and changing the 7-8 bond to single from double changes codeine into [|oxycodone].
 * Attachment, removal or modification of functional groups to positions 3 and/or 6 (dihydrocodeine and related, hydrocodone, nicomorphine); in the case of moving the methyl functional group from position 3 to 6, codeine becomes [|heterocodeine] which is 72 times stronger, and therefore six times stronger than morphine
 * Attachment of functional groups or other modification at position 14 (oxymorphone, oxycodone, naloxone)
 * Modifications at positions 2, 4, 5 or 17, usually along with other changes to the molecule elsewhere on the morphine skeleton. Often this is done with drugs produced by catalytic reduction, hydrogenation, oxidation, or the like, producing strong derivatives of morphine and codeine.

Societal Impacts

 * __Side effects of these kinds of drugs__**

Hallucinogens have many side effects. The main thing encompassing all of them is that it disconnects a person from reality. Whether that is enhancing colors and sounds or having schizophrenic like symptoms, it alters a person completely. Some have a greater impact on internal perceptions such as how a person intakes through their senses. Others effect a person’s actions such as sleep walking or talking to someone who isn’t there.

Narcotics are very addictive and can be abused easily. A narcotic such as morphine has multiple side effects. They range from low blood pressure and liver failure to heart attack and even death. Narcotics are very addictive and are easy to build up a tolerance for. Therefore many people become addicted, causing health and decision making problems.


 * __How personal side effects impact society__**

Having persons described above in a society is obviously damaging. The side effects of hallucinogens and narcotics cause people to act abnormally and even dangerously compared to the rest of society. Large groups of people with an addiction or need for these drugs can cause an increase in crime and violence throughout the society. To have a well functioning society you need to have well functioning citizens. Therefore the use and abuse of hallucinogens and narcotics have an extremely negative impact in our culture.