• Question: What is the difference between drugs that have been prescibed from doctors and the drugs that people take illegaly?

    Asked by brotherblood123 to Darren, Deuan, Duncan, Lori-An, Michelle on 16 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Lori-An Etherington

      Lori-An Etherington answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Hi, this is a good question. The actually way in which any drug works is the same whether it is prescribed or illegal, in that it acts at a specific target in the body (such as a receptor) to produce an effect. Drugs prescribed by doctors are used to treat illnesses or symptoms and the amount that is taken is carefully decided. However, illegal drugs are taken because people like the feeling that they produce and not for medical reasons. Drugs are made illegal because they can be very damaging to peoples health and also very addicitve.
      hope this helps

    • Photo: Michelle Hudson-Shore

      Michelle Hudson-Shore answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      The drugs that are prescribed by doctors have gone through checks to test that they are safe and they do what they are supposed to do. The identity and quantity of their ingredients is also know. Illegal drugs also tend to be for recreational purposes rather than for medical benefit and can be very dangerous when taken.

    • Photo: Darren Nesbeth

      Darren Nesbeth answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Generally the doctor drug will have been manufactured by officially licensed companies and be safe from impurities.

      The illegal drug will have been manufactured by criminals so you have a lot less confidence in the safety of the product.

      If the illegal drugs were stolen from a doctor, they may be safe from impurities – but only a doctor will know a safe dosage so there is a danger of overdose. Finally, even if you get the dosage and quality right- the effects of taking illegal, non-prescribed drugs will likely be that you lead an unproductive, destructive and criminal lifestyle. That’s why they’re illegal.

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