What is a narcotic?
Most misunderstandings in this world appear because people seldom specify what they have in mind, when using one word or term or another. The conception narcotic is indisputably among one of the most ill-defined ones and this vagueness makes their existence and part of the society difficult to understand. The original meaning of this word substance, which causes narcosis, i.e. unconsciousness or lethargy, is almost out of use. A synonym of narcotic is the word drug; this old French word had once meant powdery medicines. Today, in pharmacology, the word drug is referred to every healing product of plant or animal origin, and in many European languages drug is just used for medicine. In order to clarify the conception narcotic, we should notice what kind of properties does it possess, according to the concept of the ordinary man. First these are substances, which exercise influence over the psyche; they affect our senses, perceptions, thoughts, memory, spirits, will and so on. The psycho
A narcotic, medically, is any drug that produces sleep or stupor and relieves pain due to its depressant effect on the central nervous system. Included in this medical definition are opium, opium derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine) and synthetic opiates (methadone, demerole, oxycodone). Legally, the term means: any drug defmed as such by Philippine or international narcotic laws. In the United Nations treaty on narcotics, it embraces Cannabis Sativa L (marijuana), coca leaf and cocaine, sedatives and stimulants. The term “narcotic” comes from the Greek word for sleep, narkotikos. How Do Narcotics Work? Narcotics work on the central nervous system: the brain and spinal cord. The effect is: they decrease or numb a patient’s perception of pain, alter his psychological reaction associated with pain, induce lethargy or sleep. Morphine is the standard or yardstick by which other narcotics are evaluated. What Are Narcotics’ Medical Uses? Narcotics are the best pain relievers yet known to
