Drugs are substances that cause a change in brain chemistry.  There are many different types of drugs and they do different things to the body.  But there are six separate categories into which drugs fall, and they have different effects on the body.  Drugs fall into the categories of narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabis, and inhalants. 

A stimulant is a type of drug that stimulates brain activity.  In short, it speeds up the body.  Some examples of these are amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine, ecstasy, and ritalin.  Stimulants can cause increased heart rate, mental focus, an increase in blood pressure, insomnia, nervousness, and many more side effects. 

Depressants are the opposite of stimulants.  They slow down brain activity, which slows down the body.  Examples of depressants include alcohol, GHP, Valium, and methaqualone.  They can make a person feel drowsy and cause slurred speech, reduced concentration, lower response time, and can slow down the heart enough to cause a coma or death.

Hallucinogens are a scarier side to the picture. They cause the user to see, hear, or even feel things that are not there.  They distort a person's sense of reality. Some examples of hallucinogens include LSD or acid, psilocybin (mushrooms), ketamine (special K), PCP (angel dust), and mescaline (or peyote).  Not only do they distort reality, but they also increase body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure.  They can cause paranoia, depression, and flashbacks to horrible hallucinations.

Narcotics are pain killers.  They prevent the signal that says you’re in pain from reaching the brain.  They do relieve anxiety and may induce sleep, but they also cause confusion, lethargy, constipation, nausea, and can cause a coma or death.  Examples of narcotics include heroin, opium, morphine, and oxycodone.  They may relieve short-term pain, but the long term effects are frightening.

Cannabis drugs have effects that are similar to stimulants and depressants.  Examples of this include marijuana and hashish.  They speed heart rate and blood pressure, but also slow down reaction time, cause depression, and cause problems with memory, learning, and problem solving.  They also have been linked to bronchitis, emphysema, respiratory infections, birth defects, and lung cancer.

Lastly, the type of drug are inhalants.  They are substances that are inhaled to cause a change in brain chemistry.  They are everyday objects that are not intended for use as a drug. Inhalants. include paint thinner, gasoline, propane, laughing gas, and glue.  They can cause symptoms ranging from stimulation to lack of coordination to hallucination.  They damage the heart and the central nervous system.

Drugs are substances that can produce long-term effects.  Not only do they affect the heart and nervous system, but they psychologically affect the integrity of a person. Although there are many different types of drugs that do different things, none of those things are good for the body.  If a person has the ability to refrain from using drugs, they should not use drugs because not only do they harm the user, but also the people around the user.