Addictive Substances

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Alcoholism is also referred to as 'alcohol dependence' and it's a chronic disease which doesn't just go away, it stays with a person for the remainder of their life. The symptoms of alcoholism are; Loss of control, once a person starts drinking they are unable to stop on their own. No matter what problems there are associated with their drinking an alcoholic continues to drink. Health issues, legal issues or alcohol related family issues are serious problems but an alcoholic will continue to drink in-spite of them....

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Prescription medications that relieve pain are classified as opioids and when they?re prescribed for a patient to manage their pain symptoms, they?re extremely beneficial and necessary. Because prescription narcotic painkillers cause tolerance and eventually addiction it?s important that pain medications be prescribed by a physician and monitored, taken as prescribed, and never be mixed with other drugs or alcohol....

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Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller that's available throughout the United States that requires a prescription and is prescribed for treating moderate to severe pain. OxyContin is the brand name for the narcotic oxycodone hydrochloride and is abused by many people because the euphoric effects are very similar to the effects a person experiences when they use heroin....

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Methamphetamines are very addictive stimulants and the structure of this drug is similar to amphetamines. Because there's such a high potential for abuse, meth is classified as a Schedule II drug and you can only legally get methamphetamine through prescription. Medical uses for methamphetamine are extremely limited and if a physician did prescribe meth the dose would be very low....

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Cocaine continues to be a drug that's abused by many people and it's a very powerful and addictive drug that stimulates the brain. It's very easy for people who use cocaine to become addicted to it. Most people become tolerant after a while and have to increase their dose in order to achieve the high they're looking for....

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Heroin is an illegal opiate drug that's made from morphine which is a natural substance that comes from the Asian poppy plant. Most of the time you will find heroin in a white or brown powder form but there is also a black sticky substance that's called black tar heroin that people use. The white powder form is pure heroin and its bitter in taste, pure heroin is rarely sold on the streets though. There are several ways a heroin user can take the drug....

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Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a designer drug that's been around since 2007 and today is a dangerously abused drug around the world. Today this product is sold as Bath Salts but when seized the designer drug was called 'Ivory Wave'. The label on this product when marketed says 'for novelty use only' but people are buying this product to get high. Ivory wave can be found on Internet sites that are based in Europe and sold in 500 mg packs. There are United Kingdom based websites where MDVP can be found and the product is called 'Energy 1'. In Pennsylvania bath salts are found under the brand name Blizzard....

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Throughout the United States marijuana is the most common illegal drug used by people in all age groups. Marijuana is usually the first drug a young person tries when they're first experimenting with drug use. Marijuana is a mind altering drug and is also referred to as cannabis. It's a greenish colored mixture of dried stems, flowers, seeds, and leaves that have been shredded and marijuana also contains more than 400 chemicals....

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Ecstasy is a slang street term for MDMA which is a psychedelic and stimulant man-made drug that's used by many teens and young adults. There are some older adults that use ecstasy but it's much more commonly used by the younger generation. MDMA is used throughout the United States it's just more popular in some states compared to others. MDMA is a shortened way of referring to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine....

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Drug abuse is on the rise today and most parents and caregivers are aware of the illegal drugs that are used by people of all ages, from adolescents to older adults. We need to stay equally aware of the dangerous chemicals and substances that are in our homes every day. These common products can be found in every home and it really doesn't matter how old you are, there are people in every age group that huff inhalants to get high....