DRUGS 2
1-1c Spiritual and religious use
Some religions, particularly ethnic religions are based completely on the use of certain drugs, known as
entheogens, which are mostly hallucinogens, being either psychedelics or deliriants. Some drugs used
are stimulants and sedatives.
Some shamans from different cultures use entheogens, defined as “generating the divine within” to achieve
religious ecstasy. Amazonian shamans use ayahuasca (yagé) a hallucinogenic brew for this purpose.
Mazatec shamans have a long and continuous tradition of religious use of Salvia divinorum a psychoactive
plant. Its use is to facilitate visionary states of consciousness during spiritual healing sessions.
Silene undulata is regarded by the Xhosa people as a sacred plant and used as an entheogen. Its root is
traditionally used to induce vivid (and according to the Xhosa, prophetic) lucid dreams during the initiation
process of shamans, classifying it a naturally occurring oneirogen similar to the more well-known dream herb
Calea ternifolia.
Peyote a small spineless cactus has been a major source of psychedelic mescaline and has probably been
used by Native Americans for at least five thousand years. Most mescaline is now obtained from a few
species of columnar cacti in particular from San Pedro and not from the vulnerable peyote.
The entheogenic use of cannabis has also been widely practised for centuries. Rastafari use marijuana
(ganja) as a sacrament in their religious ceremonies.
1-1d Smart drugs and Designer drugs
Nootropics, also commonly referred to as “smart drugs”, are drugs that are claimed to improve human cognitive
abilities. Nootropics are used to improve memory, concentration, thought, mood, learning, and many other things.
Some nootropics are now beginning to be used to treat certain diseases such as attention-deficit hyperactivity
disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. They are also commonly used to regain brain function
lost during aging.
Other drugs known as designer drugs produced, include analogs of performance-enhancing drugs such as
designer steroids taken to improve physical capabilities and these are sometimes used (legally or not) for this
purpose, often by professional athletes. Other designer drugs mimic the effects of psychoactive drugs.
Since the late 1990s there has been the identification of many of these synthesised drugs. In Japan and the
United Kingdom this has spurred the addition of many designer drugs into a newer class of controlled substances
known as a temporary class drug.
Synthetic cannabinoids have been produced for a longer period of time and are used in the designer drug synthetic
cannabis.
1-1e Recreational drug use
Cannabis is a commonly used recreational drug.
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug (legal, controlled, or illegal) with the primary intention of altering the state
of consciousness through alteration of the central nervous system in order to create positive emotions and feelings.
Some national laws prohibit the use of different recreational drugs, and medicinal drugs that have the potential for
recreational use are often heavily regulated. On the other hand, there are many recreational drugs that are legal in
many jurisdictions and widely culturally accepted. Cannabis is a psychoactive drug and is the most commonly
consumed drug in the world (as of 2012). It can be used in the leaf form of marijuana (grass), or in the resin form
of hashish. Marijuana is a more mild form of cannabis than hashish.
There may be an age restriction on the consumption and purchase of legal recreational drugs. Some recreational
drugs that are legal and accepted in many places include alcohol, tobacco, betel nut, and caffeine products, and in
some areas of the world the legal use of drugs such as khat is common.
There are a number of legal intoxicants commonly called legal highs that are used recreationally. The most widely
used of these is alcohol.
1-2 Cocaine
Systematic (IUPAC) name methyl (1R,2R,3S,5S)-- (benzoyloxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo
octane-2-carboxylate
Clinical data
Trade names
Psicaine (Merck), Delcaine (Roquies), Ensan
Cocaine (Sankyo, Takeda, Shionogi, Dainippon)
AHFS/Drugs.com
Micromedex Detailed Consumer Information category S: C (Risk not ruled out)
Dependence liability
Physical: none
Psychological: High
Addiction liability High
Routes of administration
Topical, oral, insufflation, intravenous
Legal status
AU: S8 (Controlled)
CA: Schedule I
DE: Anlage III (Prescription only)
NZ: Class A
UK: Class A
US: Schedule II
UN: Narcotic Schedules I and III
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability
By mouth: 33%
Insufflated: 60-80%
Nasal spray: 25-43%
Metabolism Liver CYP3A4
Onset of action Seconds to minutes
Biological half-life 1 hour
Duration of action 5 to 90 minutes
Excretion Kidney
Identifiers
CAS Number 50-36-2 Yes
53-21-4
ATC code N01BC01 (WHO) R02AD03
(WHO), S01HA01 (WHO), S02DA02 (WHO)
PubChem CID 446220
IUPHAR/BPS 2286
DrugBank DB00907 Yes
ChemSpider 10194104 Yes
UNII I5Y540LHVR Yes
KEGG D00110 Yes
ChEBI CHEBI:27958 Yes
ChEMBL CHEMBL370805 Yes
Synonyms Benzoylmethylecgonine, coke
PDB ligand ID COC (PDBe, RCSB PDB)
Chemical data
Formula C17H21NO4
Molar mass 303.353 g/mol
Physical data
Melting point 98 °C (208 °F)
Boiling point 187 °C (369 °F)
Solubility in water ~1.8 mg/mL (20 °C)
Cocaine, also known as coke, is a strong stimulant mostly used as a recreational drug. It is
commonly snorted, inhaled, or injected into the veins. Mental effects may include loss of contact
with reality, an intense feeling of happiness, or agitation. Physical symptoms may include a fast
heart rate, sweating, and large pupils. High doses can result in very high blood pressure or body
temperature. Effects begin within seconds to minutes of use and last between five and ninety minutes.
Cocaine has a small number of accepted medical uses such as numbing and decreasing bleeding
during nasal surgery.
Cocaine is addictive due to its effect on the reward pathway in the brain. After a short period of use,
there is a high risk that dependence will occur. Its use also increases the risk of stroke, myocardial
infarction, lung problems in those who smoke it, blood infections, and sudden cardiac death. Cocaine
sold on the street is commonly mixed with local anesthetics, cornstarch, quinine, or sugar which can
result in additional toxicity. Following repeated doses a person may have decreased ability to feel
pleasure and be very physically tired.
Cocaine acts by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. This results in
greater concentrations of these three neurotransmitters in the brain. It can easily cross the blood–brain
barrier and may lead to the breakdown of the barrier. Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant
which are mostly grown in South America. In 2013, 419 kilograms were produced legally. It is estimated
that the illegal market for cocaine is 100 to 500 billion USD each year. With further processing crack
cocaine can be produced from cocaine.
After cannabis, cocaine is the most frequently used illegal drug globally. Between 14 and 21 million people
use the drug each year. Use is highest in North America followed by Europe and South America.
Between one and three percent of people in the developed world use cocaine at some point in their life.
In 2013 cocaine use directly resulted in 4,300 deaths, up from 2,400 in 1990. The leaves of the coca plant
have been used by Peruvians since ancient times. Cocaine was first isolated from the leaves in 1860.
Since 1961 the international Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs has required countries to make
recreational use of cocaine a crime.
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