2. Characteristics of Drugs
◦ Narcotic drugs can be categorised by the effect they have on the
user.they may be Depressants, Stimulants and Hallucinogens .
3. DEPRESSANTS
◦ Depressant act upon the central nervous System and slow down
its activity. Drug abusers term it as “high” which means a state
of well being and comfort – an escape from the reality with
which they cannot hope. This imagined state of mind is called
Euphoria .
5. 1. OPIUM
Opium is the milky white juice that is obtained from the pod of the poppy plant, papaver
somniferum . The substance darkens to a blackish brown colour and thickens upon
exposure to air . In India , it is grown in some part of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar
Pradesh. Raw opium has a distinctive and pungent odour. It is most commonly abused by
smoking in long stemmed pipes. Chronic use of opium leads to both physical and mental
dependence and tolerance builds up. Withdrawal symptoms,like becoming nervous,
restless, anxious, sweating, running eyes and nose develop when the drug supply is cut off.
6. 2. MORPHINE
Morphine is obtained from raw opium base through a chemical process in which, in the 10
kilograms of raw opium yields 1kg of morphine base. It usually appear as an odourless
white crystalline powder on the Illicit market . It may also appear in tablet, capsule and
liquid form, morphine is usually administered by injection with hypodermic syringe, when
consumed morphine creates both mental and physical dependence in user. Euphoric state
is obtained with morphine and the user may present a sleepy or relaxed appearance with
constricted pupils of the eyes. Morphine is 3-5 times stronger than opium as an analgesic.
7. 3. HEROIN
Heroin is derived from morphine. It is odourless crystalline white powder
which does not have any known medical use. Heroin in impure form is
known as brown sugar . It is available in the form of powder and capsule. It
is 10-15 times more potent than morphine. Heroin is either injected or
sniffed into the body. The effects of heroin are similar to those of opium and
morphine, but due to its high potency its effect on the user is more intense
and destructive.
8. 4. CODEINE
Codeine is also derived from morphine, but is less effective as analgesic. It is
available in tablets, capsule and in liquid form. It is administered orally or
by injection. In medicine, codeine is the base of many pain relievers and
cough remedies addict use codeine when more powerful opiates are not
available.
9. 5. SYNTHETIC OPIATES
Synthetic opiates can also create mental and physical dependence in the
abuser, but are somewhat milder in their effect than morphine or heroin.
Common among them are methodone and pethidine. A heroin dependent
person can be treated with doses of methodone to replace the heroin.
10. 6. BARBITURATES
Barbiturates are a group of non – Narcotic drugs that are derived from barbituric acid.
They are commonly referred to as “downers”. Because they relaxe , create a feeling of well
being and produce sleep. They act on central nervous system to suppress its vital functions.
There are about 25 barbiturate derivatives, but only 5 namely, amobarbital , secobarbital,
phenobarbital, pentobarbital and butabarbital are most common used. Barbiturates come
in tablets, powder and capsule. ( They appear in variety, eg- yellow jackets, blue devils and
blue birds etc).
