THE DANGEROUS DRUGS

The Dangerous Drugs Identities

Dangerous drugs refer to the broad categories or classes of controlled substances. Controlled
substances are generally grouped according to pharmacological classifications, effects and as to their legal
criteria.
Under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Law in the Philippines (R.A 9165), dangerous drugs includes
those listed in the schedules annexed to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs, as amended by the
1972 Protocol, and the schedules annexed to the 1971 Single Convention on Psychotropic Substance (Art 1,
Sec. 3). As an example: MMDA – Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (known as Ecstasy),
Tetrahydrocannabinol (MJ); Mescaline peyote).

General Drug Classification

A. According to Effects, the dangerous drugs are classified as:

1. Depressants – are group of drugs that has the effect of depressing the Central Nervous System.
2. Stimulants – are group of drugs having the effects of stimulating the Central Nervous System.
3. Hallucinogens – refers to the group of drugs that are considered to be mind altering drugs and give
the general effect of mood distortion.

B. According to Medical Pharmacology, dangerous drugs are classified as:

1. Depressants
2. Narcotics
3. Tranquilizers
4. Stimulants
5. Hallucinogens
6. Solvents/Inhalants

C. According to Legal Categories (In accordance to R.A 6425). Pursuant to Republic Act No. 6425, the
Dangerous Drug Act of 1972, the dangerous drugs are classified as:
1. Prohibited Drugs
a. Narcotics – refers to the group of the drug opium and it derivatives, morphine, heroin, codeine,
etc. Including synthetic opiates.
b. Stimulants – refers to the group of the drug cocaine, alpha and beta eucaine, etc.
c. Hallucinogens – refers to the group of drugs like marijuana, LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide),
mescaline, etc.

2. Regulated Drugs
a. Barbiturates – refers to the group of depressant drug known as “Veronal” like Luminal, Amytal,
Nembutal, Surital, Butisol, Penthntal, Seconal, etc.
b. Hypnotics – are group of drugs such as Mandrax, Quaalude, Fadormir and others.
c. Amphetamines – are group of stimulant drugs like Benzedrine, Dexedrine, Methedrine,
Preludin, etc.

3. Volatile Substances (P.D. 1619)

 The group of liquid, solid or mixed substances having the property of releasing toxic vapors of
fumes which when sniffed, smelled, inhaled or introduced into the physiological system of the body
produces or induces a condition of intoxication, excitement or dulling of the brain or nervous
system. Examples of these drugs are Glue, Gasoline, Kerosene, Ether, Paint, Thinner, Lacquer, etc.

Note: the passage of Republic Act 9165, Comprehensive Dangerous Drug Law declassified the above legal
classification into one whole definition of dangerous drugs to include their essential ingredients and
precursors or chemical elements.

CLASSIFICATION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS (According to Effects)

a. The Depressants (Downers)

These are drugs which suppress vital functions especially those of the brain or central
nervous system with the resulting impairment of judgement, hearing, speech and muscular coordination. They
dull the minds, slow down the body reactions to such an extent that accidental deaths and/or suicides usually
happen. They include the narcotics, barbiturates, tranquilizers, alcohol and other volatile solvents. These
drugs, when taken in, generally decrease both the mental and the physical activities of the body. They cause
depression, relieve pain and induce sedation or sleep and suppress cough.
1. Narcotics – are drugs, which relieve pain and produce profound sleep or stupor when introduced to
the body. Medically, they are potent painkillers, cough depressants and as an active component of
anti-diarrheal preparations. Opium and it derivatives like morphine, codeine and heroin as well as the
synthetic opiates, Demerol and methadone are classified as narcotics.
2. Opium – derived from a poppy plant – Papaver Somniferum popularly known as “gum”, “gamut”,
“kalamay” or “panocha”. A plant that can grow from 3 to 6 ft in height originally in Mesopotamia. Its
active ingredient is the “meconic acid” – the analgesic property.
3. Morphine – most commonly used and best used opiate. Effects as a painkiller six times potent than
opium, with a high dependence. Producing potential. Morphine exerts action characterized by
analgesia, drowsiness, mood changes and mental clouding.
4. Heroin – is three to five times more powerful than morphine from which it is derived and the most
addicting opium derivative. With continued use, addiction occurs within 4 days. It may be sniffed or
swallowed but is usually injected in the veins.
5. Codeine – a derivative of morphine, commonly available in cough preparations. These cough medicines
have been widely abused by the youth whenever hard narcotics are difficult to obtain. Withdrawal
symptoms are less severe than other drugs.
6. Paregoric – a tincture of opium in combination with camphor. Commonly used as a household remedy
for diarrheal and abdominal pain.
7. Demerol and Methadone – common synthetic drugs with morphine – like effects. Demerol is widely
used as a painkiller in childbirth while methadone is the drug of choice in the withdrawal treatment of
heroin dependents since it relieves the physical craving for heroin.
8. Barbiturates – are drugs used for inducing sleep in persons plagued with anxiety, mental stress and
insomnia. They are also of value in the treatment of epilepsy and hypertension. They are available in
capsules, pills or tablets and taken orally or injected.
9. Seconal – commonly used among hospitality girls. Sudden withdrawal from these drugs even more
dangerous than opiate withdrawal. The dependent develops generalized convulsions and delirium,
which are frequently associated with heart and respiratory failure.
10. Tranquilizers – are drugs that calm and relax and diminish anxiety. They are used in the treatment of
nervous states and some mental disorders without producing sleep.
 11. Volatile Solvents – gaseous substances popularly known to abusers as “gas”, “teardrops”. Examples are
plastic glues, hair spray, finger nail polish, lighter fluid, rugby, paint, thinner, acetone, turpentine
gasoline, kerosene, varnishes and other aerosol products. They are inhaled by the use plastic bags,
handkerchief or rags soaked in these chemicals.
12. Alcohol – the king of all drugs with potential for abuse. It is considered the most widely used. Socially
accepted and most extensively legalized drug throughout the world. In the field of medicine, it is
“valuable” as disinfectant, as an external remedy for reducing high fever among children and as
preservative and solvent for pharmaceutical preparations like elixirs, spirits and tincture.

b. The Stimulant (uppers)

They produce effects opposite to that of depressants. Instead of bringing about

relaxation and sleep, they produce increased mental alertness, wakefulness, reduce hunger, and provide a
feeling of well being. Their medicinal users include narcolepsy- a condition characterized by an overwhelming
desire to sleep. Abrupt withdrawal of the drug from the heavy abuser can result in a deep and suicidal
depression.
1. Amphetamines – used medically for weight reducing in obesity, relief of mild depression and
treatment.
2. Cocaine – the drug taken from the coca bush plant (erythroxylon coca) grows in South America. It is
usually in the form of powder that can be taken orally, injected or sniffed as to achieve euphoria or an
intense feeling of “highness”.
3. Caffeine – it is present in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola drinks and some wake-up pills.
4. Shabu/”poor man’s cocaine” – chemically known as methamphetamine hydrochloride. It is a central
nervous system stimulant and sometimes called “upper” or “speed”. It is white, colourless crystal or
crystalline powder with a bitter numbing taste. It can be taken orally, inhaled (snorted), sniffed
(chasing the dragon) or injected.
5. Nicotine – an active component in tobacco which acts as a powerful stimulant of the central nervous
system. A drop of pure nicotine can easily kill a person.

c. The Hallucinogens (Psychedelics)

These are groups of drugs that consist of a variety of mind-altering drugs, which distort
reality, thinking and perceptions of time, sound, space and sensation. The user experience hallucinations (false
perception) which at times can be strange. His “trips” may be exhilarating or terrifying good or bad. They may
disclose his consciousness and change his mood, thinking and concept of self.
1. Marijuana – it is the most commonly abused hallucinations in the Philippine because it can be grown
extensively in the country many users choose to smoke marijuana for relaxation in the same way
people drink beer or cocktail at the end of the day. The effects of marijuana include a feeling of
grandeur. It can also produce the opposite effects, a dreamy sensation of time seeming to stretch out.
2. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) – this drug is the most powerful of the psychedelics obtained from
ergot, a fungus that attacks rye kernels. LSD is 1,000 times more powerful than marijuana as supply,
large enough for a trip can be taken from the glue on the flab of an envelope, from the hidden areas
inside one’s clothes. LSD causes perceptual changes so that the user sees color, shapes or objects more
intensely than normal and may have hallucinations of things that are not real. To him real objects seem
to change, building seems to be crackling open and walls pulsating. He experiences frequent bizarre
hallucinations, loss spatial perceptions, personality diffusion and changes in values. Usually users
perceive distortion of time, “color”, sounds and depth. They experience “scent” music and sounds in
“color”.
 3. Peyote – Peyote is derived from the surface part of a small gray brown cactus. Peyote emits a
nauseating odor and its user suffers from nausea. This drug causes no physical dependence and
therefore, no withdrawal symptoms. Although in some cases psychological dependence has been
noted.
4. Mescaline – it is alkaloid hallucinogen extracted from the peyote cactus and can also be synthesized in
the laboratory. It produces less nausea than peyote and shows effects resembling those of LSD
although milder in nature. One to two hours after the drug is taken in a liquid or powder form,
delusions begin to occur. Optical hallucinations follow one upon another in rapid succession. These are
accompanied by imperfect coordination and perception with a sensation of impeded motion and a
marked sense that time is still standing. Mescaline does not cause physical dependence.
5. STP (Serenity, Tranquillity and Peace) – it is take-off on the motor oil additive. It is a chemical derivative
of mescaline claimed to produce more violent and longer effects than mescaline dose. Its effects are
similar to the nerve gas used in chemical warfare. It is less potent than LSD although its effects are
similar to those of psychedelics.
6. Psilocybin - this hallucinogens alkaloid from small Mexican mushrooms are used by Mexicans Indians
today. These mushrooms induced nausea, muscular relaxation, mood changes with visions of bright
colors and shapes and other hallucinations. These effects may last for four to five hours and later may
be followed by depressions, laziness and complete loss of time and space perceptions.
7. Morning Glory Seeds – the black and brown seeds of the wild tropical morning glory are used to
produce hallucinations. The seeds are ground into flour, soaked in cold water, then strained though a
cloth and drunk. They are sold under the names of “heavenly blues”, “flying dancers”, and “pearly
gates”. The active ingredient in the seed is similar to LSD although less potent. The reactions are
likened to those resulting from LSD. Prolonged psychosis is also one of its effects.

THE COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS

1. Sedatives – are depressant drugs, which reduce anxiety and excitement such as barbiturates, non-
barbiturates, tranquilizers and alcohol.
2. Stimulants – are drugs, which increase alertness and activity such as amphetamines, cocaine and
caffeine.
3. Hallucinogens/Psychedelics – drugs which effects sensation, thinking, self-awareness and emotion.
Changes in time and space perception, delusions (false beliefs and hallucinations) may be mild or
overwhelming, dispersion on dose and quality of the drug. This includes LSD, mescaline and marijuana.
4. Narcotics – drugs that relieve pain and often induce sleep. The opiates, which are narcotics, include
opium and drugs derived from opium such as morphine, codeine, and heroin.
5. Solvents – or the volatile substances which are found to be the most commonly abused by children
lured into the drug habit.

POPULAR PLANTS AS SOURCES OF DANGEROUS DRUGS

1. The Marijuana Plant

The term marijuana is a Spanish-Mexican term used to refer to the Indian hemp plant. It is a
plant that grown in tropical region and attains an approximate height of 15 to 20 feet. Scientifically
named as Cannabis Sativa Lima and a member of the Cannabinaceae family of plant (separate
male/female plant), the female plant is known as the Pistillate (shorter but long-lived) while the male
plant is called the Staminate (taller but short-lived). Its leaves formed a fingerlike look-odd in numbers
from 3 up 13 fingerlike leaves. The stalk of the plant can attain a height of 3 to 16 feet while roots can
attain a length of approximately 8 inches. The resin called “hashish” can be found on the most top
portion of the female plant. The active ingredient or alkaloid of the plant is called cannabin (the one
 that produces of the plant is called cannabin (the one that produces the physiological effects) or the
Tetrahydrocannabinnol (THC) – the concentrated alkaloid which is 5 to 20 times stronger than the plain
marijuana plant. The means of using the drug varies from ingestion to smoking.

2. The Opium Poppy Plant

The opium poppy plant is scientifically known as Papaver Somniferum. The word Papaver is a
Greek term which means poppy while the word Somniferum is a Latin term which means
dream/induced sleep. The plant can grow from 3 to 6 feet in height originally in Mesopotamia. The
Summerians called it “Hul Gil” which means, “plant of joy” due to its joyful effect when administered.
Its active ingredient is the Meconic acid – the analgesic property. The dangerous drugs that can be
derived from the plant are morphine, heroin and codeine.

3. The Coca Bush Plant

The coca bush plant is scientifically known as Erythroxylon Coca common in South America. The
plant grows in mountainous and tropical climate areas, on clay like soil. A fully-grown cultivated coca
plant attains a height of 6 to 8 feet and can be harvested 3 to 4 times in a year. The dangerous drug
that can be produced from its plant is the drug Cocaine – the most powerful natural stimulant known
as cocaine hydrochloride.

4. The Epedra Plant

Known to the Chinese as “Ma Huang”, the Epedra plant (Ephedra Vulgaris) is a psychoactive plant
that contains psychotropic properties one of which is the alkaloid Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, an
active ingredient of anti-asthma drugs used in over the counter medications. It is also an essential
chemical precursor in the production of Methamphetamine or Amphetamine drugs.
Methamphetamine Hydrochloride commonly known as “Shabu” is a product derived from this plant
through chemical processes.