any substance that causes a change in a person's physical or psychological state
drug
any drug used to cure, prevent, or treat illness or discomfort
medicine
any effect that is caused by a drug and that is different from the drug's intended effect
side effect
a written order from a doctor for a specific medicine
prescription
any medicine that can be bought without a prescription
over-the-counter medicine (OTC)
drugs that people take for mind altering effects that have no medical purpose
drugs of abuse
describes a drug or medicine that affects the brain and changes how a person perceives, thinks, or feels
psychoactive
a medicine made by a company other than the company that developed the original medicine
generic medicine
the chemical component that gives a medicine its action
active ingredient
a condition in which a drug reacts with another drug, food, or dietary supplement such that the effect of one of the substances is greater or smaller
drug interaction
a condition in which a person can no longer control his or her drug use
addiction
a condition in which a user needs more of a drug to get the same effect
drug tolerance
a condition in which the body relies on a given drug in order to function
physical dependence
a state of emotionally or physically needing a drug in order to function
psychological dependence
uncomfortable physical and psycho- logical symptoms produced when a physically dependent drug user stops using drugs
withdrawal
the intentional improper or unsafe use of a drug
drug abuse
the taking of too much of a drug, which causes sickness, loss of consciousness, permanent damage, or even death
overdose
the dried flowers and leaves of the plant Cannabis sativa that are smoked or mixed in food and eaten for intoxicating effects
marijuana
a drug that is inhaled as a vapor
inhalant
a drug made to closely resemble a common illegal drug in chemical structure and effect
club drug (designer)
a synthetic version of the male hormone testosterone that is used to promote muscle development
anabolic steroid
a drug that temporarily increases a person's energy and alertness
stimulant
a drug that causes relaxation and sleepiness
depressant
a group of highly addictive drugs derived from the poppy plant that are used as pain relievers, anesthetics, and sedatives
opiates
a drug that distorts perceptions, causing the user to see or hear things that are not real
hallucinogen
drug withdrawal that occurs in newborn infants whose mothers were frequent drug users while pregnant
neonatal abstinence syndrome
the process of learning to live without drugs
recovering
confronting a drug user about his or her drug abuse problem to stop him or her from using drugs
intervention
a return to using drugs while trying to recover from drug addiction
relapse