Common Illegal Drugs

The war on drugs continues despite the increased availability of several drugs of abuse in urban and rural areas alike. Many illegal drugs are just as easily obtained as legal ones such as alcohol.

The Gateway Drug?

The most common illegal drug on the market today is marijuana. Popular with teenagers and adults, this drug remains the most widespread throughout the country. While the majority of Marijuana enters the United States from the South through Mexico or from the North through Canada, a good percentage of highly potent hydroponic or finely manicured home-grown weed is grown domestically. Whether it is grown in a foreign country or in your own back yard, Marijuana is available in every small town and big city.

Crack Kills

Almost as common and many times more dangerous is cocaine. Cocaine is available in two forms; Powder and rock or “crack” as it is commonly referred to. This highly addictive drug can be snorted, smoked, or injected. Cocaine was once a rich man’s drug, but in the early 80’s cocaine was mixed with baking soda and other chemicals and cooked to form Crack, a cheaper but much more addictive drug that became available to anyone and kept them coming back for more. Crack-Cocaine is now sold in every town large and small, and its use has become an epidemic in many areas.

On the Rise

Rapidly gaining availability and popularity is the drug Methamphetamine. Many forms of this highly addictive drug exist including Glass and Ice, which are more highly concentrated forms of meth. This drug can be made with household cleaning products, battery acid, liquid fertilizers, and the Ephedrine found in many cold medicines. This drug produces a long, highly stimulated effect, and the users typically stay awake for days becoming delusional and paranoid before they finally crash. Meth is feared to become the new Crack within the next decade.

From something as comparatively harmless as Marijuana, to the highly addictive Cocaine, or the insanity of Methamphetamine, illegal drugs have continued to plague our nation despite the efforts of the war on drugs. The supply of drugs will always be there, perhaps the only way to win the war on drugs is to find a way to diminish the demand.