Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A | | B | | C | | D | | E | | F | | G | | H | | I | | J | | K | | L | | M |
| N | | O | | P | | Q | | R | | S | | T | | U | | V | | W | | X | | Y |

Drug misuse

In this country, illegal drugs are categorised into three classes: A, B and C.

Class A drugs are considered to be most dangerous to health. They include:

  • cocaine (including crack; nicknamed charlie, coke);
  • dicanol;
  • heroin (nicknamed smack);
  • LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide;
  • nicknamed acid, trips);
  • Mescalin;
  • Methadone;
  •  Morphine;
  • Opium; PCP (phencyclidine; nicknamed angel dust);
  • Pethadine;
  • poppy straw;
  • psilocybin;
  • STP (amphetamine nicknamed serenity, tranquility and peace);
  • MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine; nicknamed ecstasy);
  • Cannabinol.

Class B drugs are also considered to be dangerous, but less so than class A drugs.

They include:

  • amphetamine (nicknamed speed, whizz - and an ingrediant of ecstasy);
  •  codeine in concentrations above 2.5%;
  • DF118 (dihydrocodeine);
  • Ritalin;
  • Barbiturates.

Class C drugs are considered to be the least harmful to health. They include:

  • Cannabis and cannabis resin (marijuana, grass, pot, weed);
  • Methaqualone;
  • Benzodiazepines (including valium, and rohypnol). Nicknamed roofies (Benzodiazepines have also been recently referred to as date-rape drugs in the media ).

Some of these drugs are legal when prescribed by a doctor and can be used for pain-relief or to relieve the symptoms of certain medical conditions. Illegal drugs are classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which can only be changed and added to by the Home Secretary.