What Are The 7 Classifications Of Drugs?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The DRE categorization process is premised on these long-standing, medically accepted facts. DREs classify drugs in one of seven categories:

central nervous system (CNS) depressants, CNS stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative anesthetics

What are the 8 drug categories?

  • Stimulants.
  • Inhalants.
  • Cannabinoids.
  • Depressants.
  • Opioids.
  • Steroids.
  • Hallucinogens.
  • Prescription drugs.

What are the 5 classification of drugs?

  • Central nervous system depressants.
  • Central nervous system stimulants.
  • Opiates and Opiodes.
  • Hallucinogens.
  • Marijuana.

What are the 3 main drugs?

As of 2021, the three main drugs in the United States are

marijuana, painkillers, and cocaine

. This list excludes alcohol and tobacco, which both have high rates of consumption as well.

What are the 6 categories of drugs?

Drugs can be categorized based upon their effects on users. There are essentially seven different drug types, each with its own set of characteristics, effects and dangers. Categories include

stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, dissociatives, opioids, inhalants and cannabis

.

How do you classify drugs?

A drug may be classified by

the chemical type of the active ingredient or by the way it is used to treat a particular condition

. Each drug can be classified into one or more drug classes.

What are general classes of drugs?

When considering only their chemical makeup, there are six main classifications of drugs:

alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, cannabinoids, barbiturates, and hallucinogens

. Out of all the thousands of drugs that are out there, both prescription and illegal, each one can be categorized under one of these six headings.

What is a drug that speeds up the body?


Stimulants

are a class of drugs that speed up messages travelling between the brain and body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident or energetic.

1

. Stimulants include caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines and cocaine.

What are the 4 classifications of drugs?

  • stimulants (e.g. cocaine)
  • depressants (e.g. alcohol)
  • opium-related painkillers (e.g. heroin)
  • hallucinogens (e.g. LSD)

What is a drug that relieves pain?

There are two main types of OTC pain medicines:

acetaminophen (Tylenol)

and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Aspirin, naproxen (Aleve), and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are examples of OTC NSAIDs. If OTC medicines don’t relieve your pain, your doctor may prescribe something stronger.

What is a Class V drug?

Schedule V drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as

drugs with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV

and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics. Schedule V drugs are generally used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes.

What are the top 10 most used drugs?

  • Lisinopril (Generic for Prinivil or Zestril) …
  • Levothyroxine (generic for Synthroid) …
  • Azithromycin (generic for Zithromax, Z-PAK) …
  • Metformin (generic for Glucophage) …
  • Lipitor (atorvastatin) …
  • Amlodipine (generic for Norvasc) …
  • Amoxicillin. …
  • Hydrochlorothiazide.

What are examples of drugs?

  • alcohol.
  • tobacco.
  • cannabis.
  • methamphetamines (e.g. MDMA) and other stimulants such as cocaine.
  • new psychoactive substances — synthetic drugs.
  • opioids, including heroin.
  • the non-medical use of prescription drugs.

Is caffeine a drug?

Caffeine is a

drug that stimulates (increases the activity of) your brain and nervous system

. Caffeine is found in many drinks such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks.

Is sugar a drug?

Brain scans have confirmed that intermittent sugar consumption affects the brain in ways similar to certain drugs. A highly cited study in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that sugar—as pervasive as it is—meets the criteria for

a substance of abuse

and may be addictive to those who binge on it.

Why are drugs categorized?

Classifying drugs by chemical similarities is useful because drugs that are

chemically similar often have similar impacts and risks

. An individual who is addicted to a given drug is more likely to abuse a chemically similar drug. Also, the same treatment is often effective for chemically similar drugs.

David Evans
Author
David Evans
David is a seasoned automotive enthusiast. He is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering and has a passion for all things related to cars and vehicles. With his extensive knowledge of cars and other vehicles, David is an authority in the industry.