Illegal Drug Market - Explains the chemistry,effects, history, and uses of drugs like halocinogens, amphetamines, etc.

Essay by j6e6s6sHigh School, 11th gradeA+, December 2003

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The illegal drug market in the United States is one of the most profitable in the world. Drug law enforcement agencies face an enormous challenge in protecting the country's borders. Each year, according to the U.S. Customs Service (USCS), 60 million people enter the United States on more than 675,000 commercial and private flights. Another 6 million come by sea and 370 million by land. In addition, 116 million vehicles cross the land borders with Canada and Mexico. More than 90,000 merchant and passenger ships dock at U.S. ports. These ships carry more than 9 million shipping containers and 400 million tons of cargo. Another 157,000 smaller vessels to go coastal towns. Drugs are generally grouped into four different categories. The first being amphetamines, which are drugs that act on the central nervous system and increase brain activity. Hallucinogens are drugs which act on the mind, distorting the what users see and hear things.

Depressants are drugs which also act on the central nervous system, but inserted they slow down brain activity. And lastly is analgesics which are drugs that have a painkilling effect and also create feelings of warmth and contentment. The problem with drug is that to get these effects, there are harsh chemicals involved which are anything but healthy. The chemicals in drugs alter the chemistry of the brain in many ways.

Hallucinogens powerfully affect the brain, distorting the way our five senses work and changing our impressions of time and space. Hallucinogens alter how the brain perceives time, reality, and the environment around you. They also affect the way you move, react to situations, think, hear, and see. This may make you think that you're hearing voices, seeing images, and feeling things that don't exist.

Psychotomimetics are a group of central nervous stimulants that create hallucinogenic...