Illegal drugs are those that are not prescribed by a doctor or bought at a drugstore. They are sometimes also called "street drugs."
Some examples of illegal drugs include heroin (a narcotic); cocaine (a stimulant); LSD, mescaline, PCP, methamphetamine, and psilocybin (hallucinogens); marijuana and hashish (cannabis); and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Although GHB is legal in Europe for anesthetic uses and in the United States for government-approved clinical trials for treating narcolepsy, it has been otherwise illegal in the United States since 1990.
The effects of illegal drugs can be unpredictable because:
- Most drugs are very addictive.
- People respond differently to the same drugs.
- The strength or potency of the drug may be uncertain.
- They may contain unknown or unexpected substances. There is no quality control for street drugs like that required for prescription drugs.
- They may interact with other drugs or alcohol in unpredictable ways.
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Last Revised | January 14, 2010 |
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