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dont do these TomasBat, they are bad for you.
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{{refimprove|date=July 2007}}
] is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world.]]
A '''drug''' is any chemical or biological substance, ] or non-synthetic, that when taken into the organism's body, will in some way alter the functions of that organism. This broad definition can be taken to include such substances as ]. However more strict applications of the word prevail in everyday life. In these cases the word "drug" is usually used to refer specifically to ], ], ]ic ]s, ] or ]. Many natural substances such as ]s, ]s, and some ], blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both ] and ]. The word "drug" is etymologically derived from the Dutch/Low German word "droog", which means "dry", since in the past, most drugs were dried plant parts.
Drugs are usually distinguished from ] biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism. For example, ] is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.

==Medication==
{{main|Medication}}
A ''medication'' or ''medicine'' is a drug taken to cure and/or ameliorate any symptoms of an ] or medical condition, or may be used as ] that has future benefits but does not treat any existing or pre-existing diseases or symptoms.

Dispensing of medication is often regulated by ] into three categories — '']'' (OTC) medications, which are available in ] and supermarkets without special restrictions, '']'' (BTC), which are dispensed by a ] without needing a doctor's prescription, and '']s'' (POM), which must be prescribed by a licensed ], usually a ].

Most over-the-counter medications are generally considered to be safe enough that most people will not hurt themselves if they are taken as instructed{{Fact|date=June 2007}}. In the ], BTC medicines are called ]s which can only be sold in registered pharmacies, by or under the supervision of a pharmacist. However, the precise distinction between OTC and prescription drugs depends on the legal ].

Medications are typically produced by pharmaceutical companies and are often ]ed to protect their exclusive rights to produce them, but they can also be derived from naturally occurring substance in plants called ]. Those that are not patented (or with expired patents) are called ]s since they can be produced by other companies without restrictions or licenses from the patent holder.

Drugs, both medications and recreational can be administered in a number of ways:
*], as a liquid or solid (pill), that is absorbed through the ].
*], (breathed into the lungs), as a vapor.
*] as a liquid either ] or ] (put under the skin, into a ] or ] tissue with the use of a ]).
*] as a ], that is absorbed by the colon.
*] as a ], primarily to treat vaginal infections.
*Bolus, a substance into the stomach to dissolve slowly.
Many drugs can be administered in a variety of ways.

==Recreational==
{{main|Recreational drug use}}
{{Further|]}}

''Recreational drug use'' is the use of ]s for ]al purposes rather than for work, ] or ] purposes. Much controversy has arisen over recreational drug use, and governments across the world have regulated the consumption and/or distribution of drugs in the name of fighting ], but many countries' laws are criticized for being passed under ulterior motives or for being hypocritical. This seems to be changing, slowly, as ] follows the ]' lead and largely decriminalizes ].(citation needed)

==Legal definition of drugs==
Some countries also defined what a drug is by law. In the United States, the ] defines a drug as being an article "intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals" or an article "(other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals." FDCA § 201(g)(1).

==List of drugs==
See ] for an alphabetical list of drugs by name. Many drugs have more than one name and, therefore, the same drug may be listed more than once. Brand names and ]s are differentiated by the use of capital initials for the former. Some drugs may have slang names and may need to be accessed using those names.

==Controversy==
Drug companies research the effects that their drugs have in clinical trials. However, a 2004 New York Times article says that some drug companies refuse to disclose the results of such testing, especially when results are poor.<ref name=NY-times-Drug-article>{{cite web
| last =MEIER
| first =BARRY
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =Contracts Keep Drug Research Out of Reach
| work =
| publisher =Page 1 Business Section, New York Times
| date = 2004 Nov 29
| url = http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&langpair=en%7Cen&u=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/29/business/29research.html%3Fex%3D1183608000%26en%3Da204185da4553ebb%26ei%3D5070&prev=/language_tools
| format =
| doi =
| accessdate = 2007-07-02 }}</ref> Such was the case when the FDA was investigating a reported increase in the rates of suicide for people given antidepressants where the effects were unknown for children.

== See also ==
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==References==
<references/>

==External links==
* Useful resource website with detailed information on drugs and how to treat drug addiction. "Say NO to drugs" May 4 2007
* by Richard DeGrandpre, Duke University Press, 2006.
* German web-site providing information on the influence of recreational drugs in driving.

{{Major Drug Groups}}

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Revision as of 00:48, 28 July 2007

dont do these TomasBat, they are bad for you.