The Effect of Drugs

Essay by kellyhitch1University, Bachelor'sA+, November 2008

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Although there are many types of drugs, and many ways to get them, a type of depressant called a barbiturate may be the most commonly misused. Because barbiturates are prescription drugs, and usually prescribed for people who went through or are going through rough emotional times, there is no way to definitely tell when or when not someone needs the drug. The following paragraphs will explain how depressants work, the way barbiturates are taken, and the effects they have on the body.

Depressants are the most common type of drug, simply because they slow down the body's functions, reaction times, and ability to work. Depressants come in many forms (such as pain killers and alcohol), and barbiturates cover a large section of these. Because barbiturates are used to relieve pain, or calm people down, they are widely prescribed for people who have panic attacks, or are going through very rough times in their lives.

There are over 2,000 different derivatives of barbituric acid, but only 50 are approved for medical use and only 12 are widely used (Gaines, 2003, p.59). The price and availability of barbiturates make them one of the most commonly misused prescription drugs on the market.

The most common way people take barbiturates is through a pill. However, an increasing number of people are beginning to have the drug injected. These are people who become very dependant on the drug. The reason they inject the drug instead of taking it orally, is because it has a quicker, and sometimes longer-lasting effect. Most of the people who misuse barbiturates seem to prefer taking them orally because they don't enjoy self-injections, and a few moments after taking these drugs, they don't have enough coordination or energy to use a needle. Barbiturates are just like any other drug they are...