Illegal Drug Classificiations

In class we are now covering substance use. You will notice that any substance that is not directly intended to nourish a body will create some form of problem. This goes for caffeine as well as nicotine, as well as alcohol and most certainly applies to the "hard drugs" that are illegal in most forms. There are a number of types of drugs characterized largely by either their source (narcotics, for example, are largely derived from poppy flowers) or by their effect on the body (e.g. ecstasy is a stimulant).

We ask that you all - with a partner - use the NIDA link on this website to identify a drug classification (group) that you would like to focus on. You can focus on it with the information you find on NIDA alone, or you can supplement that information with other (appropriate) sources. The specific information you need to know is the following:

1. What is the definition of this drug classification (characteristics)
2. What are a few examples of drug that come under this classification
   
3. Short-term effects of that drug.
4. Long-term effects of that drug. Be sure to include physiological effects on the body.
5. Street names for that drug.
6. Pictures of what that drug looks like.
7. How that drug is taken.
8. Statistics related to that drug (example: % of teenagers using in 2008)
9. An interesting/fun fact about the drug.
   
10. Overall analysis (in your own words) related to how dangerous you think this drug is. What are the dangers of this particular drug? In your analysis include what you think are the reasons a government would make this drug illegal (under some or all circumstances).
    
11. If you used additional sources than the NIDA link, you need to cite your sources appropriately.
    

Though you are both working on the same drug classification, you will both need to put this on your blog as a post. It can be the identical post, if you want, or you can personalize it if you want.