What Are Narcotic Drugs?

Certain alkaloid drugs that are useful in medical practice to soothe pain and to dull the senses have a tendency to craving for repeated and larger doses.  These drugs include cocaine, an extract from the leaf of the coca plant, and opium, the juice of a certain poppy.  Products of opium include morphine, codeine, heroine and many other substances.  

Narcotic drugs are poisons, but the body has the ability to develop a 'tolerance' with repeated doses.  As this tolerance grows, larger doses are required to produce the desired effect.  

The drug habit may be acquired accidentally through the use of a drug containing medicines.  Probably the greatest source of danger lies in the chance taking of drugs by young people, due do their ignorance or lack of character, when solicited by dealers in their illicit sale.  The fact that about one - third of drug addiction begins before the age of 20 years points to the danger.  The larger profits accruing in organized drug traffic stimulate the business by securing recruits by offering the seemingly harmless drug to unsuspecting or uninformed young people.

Addiction (compulsive and excessive use of drugs) is often a symptom of personality maladjustment.  Irresponsible, selfish, immature, thrill seeking individuals are most likely to become drug addicts.  Were the addicting drugs unavailable these personalities could not take this outlet.  A person who starts taking drugs with other addicts is much more likely to become addicted than if the drug is prescribed for medical reasons.