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Research on the history of drugs
Research on the history of drugs
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History of Controlled Substance Hallucinogens are a diverse group of drugs. They cause hallucinations and images that seem real but they really aren’t. They can be found in plants and mushrooms or can be made. People have used hallucinogens for centuries, mostly for religious rituals. Hallucinogens have played a role in human life for thousands of years. Numerous cultures around the world have used hallucinogenic plants to detach from reality, to create visions, medicine, and religious rituals. Prevalence of Use In USA/Texas In 2010, US population survey of 57,873 individuals age 12 and older used hallucinogens. There were approximately 30 million lifetime users in the US in 2010; including 17% of people aged 21 to 64 years old 22% were males
Psilocybin (4phosphodimethyltryptamine or N, N dimethyltryptamine (DMT)) is a naturally occurring indoleamine hallucinogen and is metabolized to psilocin after ingestion (Umbricht, Koller, Vollenweider, Schmid, 2001). Psilocin is the active chemical in the plant and it is what causes hallucinations and other behavioral changes in the individual taking the substance. It is stated that psilocybin is used in research because it is short-acting, naturally occurring and draws less attention then other well-know hallucinogens (Strassman 1996). There are not many studies done with human subjects so the majority of data has been collected with animals (rats in particular). In many articles the effects, both neurological and behavioral are likened to the effects of the hallucinogen LSD.
Boyer, B., Boyer, R., & Basehart, H. 1973. Hallucinogens and Shamanism M. Hamer, Ed.. England: Oxford University Press.
The third, fourth and fifth chapters chapter are talking about two differents drugs. One that is considering licit: alcohol and the other one illicit: marijuana. According to the book, alcohol is identified as a drug of the same sense that LSD, heroin and cocaine: they are all psychoactive. It is a recreational drug and is addicting. The chapter explain that alcohol existed throughout human existence and how it was made by fermentation in early history. The chapter also talk about the effects of alcohol on the body such us dehydratation, gastric irritation but it also affect the ability of the brain to process and utilize information.
... in the action of hallucinogens has provided a focal point for new studies. Is there a prototypic classical hallucinogen? Until we have the answers to such questions, we continue to seek out the complex relationship between humans and psychoactives.
Psychedelic drugs affect more then creativity, they are also known to have the ability to increase the users sense of spirituality and religion. In the academic journal, “Voice of The Psychonauts,” author Levente Moro explores the correlation between spirituality, and psychedelic drug use. He claims that when psychedelic drugs are taken in a “supportive” environment they have the ability to induce “deeply meaningful religious revelations and spiritual awakenings” (Moro et al. 190). Psychedelic drug use in hopes of spiritual revelations is not new, and has actually been going on for hundreds of years. The Native American Church has been known to traditionally use psychedelic drugs for spiritual experiences (Moro et al. 190). Some Mexican tribes are also known to ingest psilocybin mushrooms in order to induce religious awakenings (Moro et al. 190). To further prove his argument, Levente Moro conducted an online survey amongst 667 random people. His results suggested that people still take psychedelic drugs in order to have religious experiences, even though it is looked down upon in certain religious groups (Moro et al. 195). Levente Moro is not the only one interested in psychedelic drugs and religion. Many other scientists have also examined this theory. In the article, “Values and Beliefs of Psychedelic Drug Users,” author Michael Lerner also discusses the relationship between psychedelic drug use and spirituality. Lerner also believes that when psychedelic drugs are taken with the correct mindset, they have the ability to increase ones sense of religion. In order to test his theory, Michael Lerner had 183 volunteers fill out a questionnaire. Even though he conducted the survey amongst people from all over the world...
During the 1960's and 1970's mainly teenagers used marijuana. In the 1970's 11% said they used it daily, but recently, only about 5% use it daily. In 1975, 27% of people said they used it that previous month, and in 1978, that figure grew to 39%, but dr
Credibility material: Its intake results in adverse medical conditions that are further exalted by its addiction properties that ensure a continued intake of the substance. The drug can be abused through multiple means and is medically recorded to produce short-term joy, energy , and other effects such as increased heart rate and blood pressure. This ultimately results in numerous psychiatric and social problems; factors that played a major role in its illegalization after multiple and widespread cases of its effects were reported in the country during the 1900s. In addition to this, the drug results in immediate euphoric effect, a property which the National Institute of Drug Abuse (2010) attributes to be the root cause for its increased po...
A psychedelic drug is one that alters the brains perception and cognition. Drugs of this sort can cause visual hallucinations. People have said it feels as though everything is alive, breathing, dancing. Of course, like any drug, there is the possibility of having a “bad trip.” This is where things seemingly go wrong. The person tripping feels trapped, frightened, and extremely uncomfortable. The
Hallucinogens or psychedelics are mind-altering drugs, which affect the mind’s perceptions, causing bizarre, unpredictable behavior, and severe, sensory disturbances that may place users at risk of serious injuries or death. Hallucinogens powerfully affect the brain, distorting the way our five senses work and changes our impressions of time and space. People who use these drugs a lot may have a hard time concentrating, communicating, or telling the difference between reality and illusion. Hallucinogens cause people to experience - you guessed it - hallucinations, imagined experiences that seem real. The word "hallucinate" comes from Latin words meaning, "to wander in the mind."
Robison, Jennifer. “Decades of Drug Use: Data from the '60s and'70s.” 2 July 2002. Gallup, Inc. 28 March 2011.
The altered states of consciousness produced by drugs presents an all-to-common phenomenon in today’s society. Whether the desired sensation comes in the form of energy, a means of relaxation, or pain reduction, many people go to great lengths and present their bodies to threatening conditions in order to achieve this euphoric “high.” Unfortunately, the use of these drugs very often comes with dangerous side effects that users must learn to manage with for the rest of their life. According to neuroscientists, our entire conscious existence bases itself off of the lighting-fast reactions occurring in our nervous system (Nichols, 2012). Therefore, changing these neurological reactions can permanently effect our conscious being (Blatter, 2012). The physical and neurological effects from the use and abuse of stimulants, sedatives, hallucinogens, organic solvents, and athletic performance enhancing drugs will be discussed in order to better comprehend why certain individuals expose themselves to such dangerous materials with seemingly no regard to the permanent consequences associated with such actions.
Firstly, drug use is not a concept new to the twenty-first century. The use of psychedelic/hallucinogenic drugs results in perception-altering effects manifested as
Hallucinogens- alter what we see and what we perceive as reality but the drug itself
Pre-Columbian Mexicans used many substances, from tobacco to mind-expanding (hallucinogenic) plants, in their medicinal collections. The most fascinating of these substances are sacred mushrooms, used in religious ceremonies to induce altered states of mind, not just drunkenness.
The use of illegal drugs in the United States is considered by some to be the biggest problem in our society. Over 40% of high school seniors use some kind of illegal drug, and in a recent 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse showed that the three most common drugs are Marijuana used by 11,100,000 people, Cocaine used by 1,500,000 people, and inhalants that is used by 991,000 people nationwide.