The Diversion of Prescription Drugs

Diversion and abuse of prescription drugs is becoming more of a problem as society in general becomes more dependent on drugs. The problem will continue, and intensify the more reliant we become upon the use of pharmaceutical drugs in the practice of modern day medicine. Until authorities re assess and modify their blind acceptance of and financial support for endemic drug use in healthcare, society can expect to...

The World’s Youngest Drug Users

UNODC reports an estimated 172 -250 million drug users in the world with between 18 and 38 million addicted,in 2009. As drug abuse and dependence increases, so the age at which drugs are first used by children continues to drop. Afghanistan is said to have the lowest ages for children starting drug use in the world. In a 2006 report by the Daily Mail, Britain’s youngest recorded heroin addict was given heroin...

Khat, Meph and Bath Salts

Khat, or Catha Edulis, is shrub native to East Africa and Arabia. The leaves are chewed, or brewed and drunk as a stimulant liquor. The active ingredients of khat are cathine and cathinone, very similar in action to amphetamine drugs. As with coca and opium, in its countries of origin khat has been used for centuries, in natural form by people in local communities as a pick me up, something to relieve tiredness and...

Signs of Opium Addiction

Opium poppy In discussing the signs of opium addiction, we first have to discuss what opium is. Opium is said to be a kind of sedative that is sourced from the seeds of a flower called opium poppy. This end product of the poppy seed becomes a key ingredient for many opiates like codeine, papaverine, morphine and noscapine, which are then altered chemically to get heroin. Opiate addiction has been a source of concern...