The Classification and Analysis of “Drugs”

Faith Olson
Curated Paper 2
7/13/2020

The Classification and Analysis of “Drugs”

The United States created scheduled classifications of drugs based on abusiveness and medicinal uses under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Fueled by U.S. president Richard Nixon referring to it as “public enemy number one.” The term “war on drugs” coined in 1971 changed the way scientist and the FDA viewed drugs then and still greatly impacts the research today. Schedule 1 contains drugs such as Heroin, Marijuana, LSD, and Ecstasy. Schedule 2 contains Cocaine, Adderall, Oxycodone. Schedule 3 listed as Ketamine, Testosterone. Schedule four contains Xanax, Valium, and Ambien. Schedule 5 is viewed as low abuse rates that contains Motofen and Parepectolin.  

            All drugs use chemical compounds to change behavior, mood, and change pathways within the brain that travels throughout the body. These compounds use neurons to relay the changes through the body creating the desirable effect of the user. Neurons are a part of the synapses that decides and regulates the body. There are many ways for the chemical compounds to enter the body such as administered orally, and externally within shots. The chemicals are often taken externally to replicate those compounds that normally develop naturally within the body, however, are not balanced as much as they should be. Most commonly medicinal chemical compounds are taken orally in the form of pills and are often found in most homes across the United States. These chemicals are prescribed by a professional doctor to generally enhance everyday life for the patient. Majority of people throughout the united states take some sort of medication.

            It is often ill advised among the medical community to diagnosis children with disorders and use medications to treat such disorders. The medical problem with diagnosing children with disorders is that medications are often prescribed to help regulate the child. However, in the effort to regulate development could be affected drastically. Brain function development is the most important aspect of growth in children. How children spend their childhood changes how their brains are mapped and grow. Initially after drugs enter the body is the dopamine increase. After a constant steady intake of the certain drug the brain naturally reduces the production of dopamine. Eventually, the brain struggles to function without the drug which is when the brain begins its dependence phase

            Illicit Drugs are drugs are not the conventional everyday usage these are drugs not often prescribed. The brain changes depending on the specifics of the drugs and medications. Sadly nearly 50% of Americans over 12 years old has tried some sort of illicit drug. These compounds are not meant for adolescence and can change the way the brain develops its pathways and grows. This statistic is based on both boys and girls and thus with nearly 50% using means that it is practically a national average for adolescence and young adults. Men statistically are more likely to experience a variety of illicit drugs than women. African Americans are less likely to try illicit drugs than their counterparts of white Americans. This is a large exploitation based on the American justice system and incarcerated per capita of African Americans, however, has not changed the way FDA views pharmaceutical drugs nor how the DEA views these scheduled illicit Drugs. Based on the information and the appropriate research from the 2006 study of how psilocybin reduces post traumatic stress disorders a major change could be made by the DEA to reclassify the scheduled drugs (Griffiths et al.). Moreover, possible prison reform for possession charges.

References:

Griffiths, R. R., Richards, W. A., Mccann, U., & Jesse, R. (2006). Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance. Psychopharmacology, 187(3), 268-283. doi:10.1007/s00213-006-0457-5