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Addiction: A chronic, relapsing disease characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain.

Amphetamine: Stimulant drugs whose effects are very similar to cocaine.

B

Benzene: A volatile liquid solvent found in gasoline.

Butyl nitrite: An illegal substance that is often packaged and sold in small bottles; also referred to as poppers.

C

Cannabis: The botanical name for the plant from which marijuana comes.

Chloroform: A colorless volatile liquid used as a medical anesthetic gas.

Coca: The plant, Erythroxylon, from which cocaine is derived. Also refers to the leaves of this plant.

Cocaine: A highly addictive stimulant drug derived from the coca plant that produces profound feelings of pleasure.

Crack: Slang term for a smokeable form of cocaine.

Craving: A powerful, often uncontrollable desire for drugs.

Cyclohexyl nitrite: A chemical found in substances marketed as room deodorizers.

D

Depressants: Drugs that relieve anxiety and produce sleep. Depressants include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and alcohol.

Dopamine: A brain chemical, classified as a neurotransmitter, found in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and pleasure.

Drug: A chemical compound or substance that can alter the structure and function of the body. Psychoactive drugs affect the function of the brain, and some of these may be illegal to use and possess.

Drug abuse: The use of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal drugs. The repeated use of drugs to produce pleasure, to alleviate stress, or to alter or avoid reality (or all three).

E

Ecstasy (MDMA): A chemically modified amphetamine that has hallucinogenic as well as stimulant properties.

Emphysema: A lung disease in which tissue deterioration results in increased air retention and reduced exchange of gases. The result is difficult breathing and shortness of breath. It is often caused by smoking.

Ether: A volatile liquid with a characteristic odor. Used as a medical anesthetic gas.

Euphoria: A feeling of well-being or elation.

H

Hallucinations: Perceptions of something (such as a visual image or a sound) that does not really exist. Hallucinations usually arise from a disorder of the nervous system or in response to drugs (such as LSD).

Hallucinogens: A diverse group of drugs that alter perceptions, thoughts, and feelings. Hallucinogenic drugs include LSD, mescaline, MDMA (ecstasy), PCP, and psilocybin (magic mushrooms).

Hepatitis: Inflammation of the liver.

Heroin: The potent, widely abused opiate that produces addiction. It consists of two morphine molecules linked together chemically.

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus): The virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome).

I

Inhalant: Any drug administered by breathing in its vapors. Inhalants commonly are organic solvents, such as glue and paint thinner, or anesthetic gases, such as ether and nitrous oxide.

Inhalation: The act of administering a drug or combination of drugs by nasal or oral respiration. Also, the act of drawing air or other substances into the lungs. Nicotine in tobacco smoke enters the body by inhalation.

Injection: A method of administering a substance such as a drug into the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle, blood vessels, or body cavities, usually by means of a needle.

L

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide): An hallucinogenic drug that acts on the serotonin receptor.

M

Marijuana: A drug, usually smoked but can be eaten, that is made from the leaves of the cannabis plant. The main psychoactive ingredient is THC.

Medication: A drug that is used to treat an illness or disease according to established medical guidelines.

Methamphetamine: A commonly abused, potent stimulant drug that is part of a larger family of amphetamines.

Methylphenidate (Ritalin®): Methylphenidate is a central nervous system stimulant. It has effects similar to, but more potent than, caffeine and less potent than amphetamines. It has a notably calming and "focusing" effect on those with ADHD, particularly children.

N

Nicotine: The addictive drug in tobacco. Nicotine activates a specific type of acetylcholine receptor.

Nitrites: A special class of inhalants that act primarily to dilate blood vessels and relax the muscles. Whereas other inhalants are used to alter mood, nitrites are used primarily as sexual enhancers. (See also amyl nitrite and butyl nitrite).

Nitrous oxide: Medical anesthetic gas, especially used in dentistry. Also called "laughing gas." Found in whipped cream dispensers and gas cylinders.

P

Polyneuropathy: A drug that distorts perception, thought, and feeling. This term is typically used to refer to drugs with actions like those of LSD.

Psychoactive: Having a specific effect on the mind.

Psychoactive drug: A drug that changes the way the brain works.

R

Relapse: In drug abuse, relapse is the resumption of drug use after trying to stop taking drugs. Relapse is a common occurrence in many chronic disorders, including addiction, that require behavioral adjustments to treat effectively.

Rush: A surge of pleasure that rapidly follows administration of some drugs.

S

Stimulants: A class of drugs that elevates mood, increases feelings of well-being, and increases energy and alertness. These drugs produce euphoria and are powerfully rewarding. Stimulants include cocaine, Methamphetamine, and methylphenidate (Ritalin).

T

THC: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol; the main active ingredient in marijuana, which acts on the brain to produce its effects.

Tobacco: A plant widely cultivated for its leaves, which are used primarily for smoking; the tabacum species is the major source of tobacco products.

Tolerance: A condition in which higher doses of a drug are required to produce the same effect as during initial use; often leads to physical dependence.

Toluene: A light colorless liquid solvent found in many commonly abused inhalants, including airplane glue, paint sprays, and paint and nail polish removers.

W

Withdrawal: Symptoms that occur after chronic use of a drug is reduced or stopped.