Psychopharmacology Essay

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The history of psychopharmacology has included a lot of *oops*; a substance is used and thought to do one thing, only to find out it does something completely different. I find it interesting how many substances are used by humans before we fully understand how they work, and the potential risks of use. Sometimes the discovered effects are beneficial, but more often they have negative and dangerous side effects. Some of the most dangerous drugs of today, such as cocaine, amphetamines, and opiates, started off in the most common, legal, and accessible products. Cocaine Cocaine is one of the oldest natural stimulations and while it is now considered to be one of the most potent and dangerous drugs, it certainly did not begin with that reputation. …show more content…

Weight loss, nausea, aggression, insomnia, hallucinations, anxiety, paranoia, increased blood pressure, strokes, cardiovascular collapse, organ damage, memory loss, and even death are some of the many dangerous side effects (Foundation for a Drug-Free World, 2018)! The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates almost 500 metric tons of amphetamine are used by 24.7 million people a year. In 2005, almost 4,000 people died due to methamphetamine overdose in the US. According to the United Nations World Drug Report, methamphetamine was the most abused hard drug in the world the following year (History.com, …show more content…

In 1874, an English chemist, named Alder Wright, synthesized heroin from morphine. This was viewed as a safe morphine substitute and was eventually marketed as a cough and cold medicine for children. It resulted in a dramatic escalation of heroin addiction in the United States and western Europe. In 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act, the same that made cocaine illegal, put restricting regulations on sales and use of opium products. And in 1924, the Anti-Heroin Act was passed, making it illegal to import or sell heroin. However, it is still used recreationally and leads to many

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