•Street Drug: A drug that is taken for non medical purposes (usually for mind altering purposes); drug abuse can lead to physical or mental damage and can ultimately lead to dependence and addiction.  Eg: Alcohol, heroin, cocaine, crack, and meth.

 

•Hardcore Drug (Lead to sever addiction): A drug that is considered to be more dangerous, with a higher risk of dependence than soft drugs. Eg: Heroine, Meth, cocaine, Crack.

 

•Soft-core Drugs (Do not cause addiction): although not addictive they may lead to a psychological dependency. This means that people feel better when they have the drug. EX: LSD, Marijuana, Shrooms.

•Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences. It is considered a brain disease because drugs change the brain; they change its structure and how it works. These brain changes can be long lasting and can lead to many harmful, often self-destructive, behaviors. 

 

 

Drugs can be ingested or administered in five ways.

-Orally

-Rectally

-By injection

-Inhalation

-Absorption 

The use of a drug to the extent that it impairs the user’s biological, psychological, and social well-being.

 

Once drugs pass through the blood brain barrier (which is a network of cells that separates the blood and the brain) and then enters the brain, affecting behavior by influencing the activity of neurons at their synapses.

 

Achieved through three ways: By mimicking or enhancing the action of a naturally occurring neurotransmitter, by blocking its action, or by affecting its reuptake