Drugs are divided into hard and soft drugs - this division has become a permanent part of the social consciousness, although it is of a contractual nature and is not defined by any regulations. Psychoactive substances with the highest addictive potential are considered hard, e.g. heroin and amphetamines, and soft drugs include those that do not cause physical dependence, such as marijuana.

Hard drugs and soft drugsare terms that differentiate the degree of harmfulness of psychoactive substances. They can often be found in the literature on drug addiction or in the media. It is worth noting, however, that such a division is officially valid in only one country, the Netherlands, known for its liberal drug law. In other countries, a similar classification is contractual and not regulated by law.

Hard and soft drugs - classification criteria

It is not possible to define a strict, unambiguous division into hard and soft drugs. This is due to the fact that there are psychoactive substances whose harmfulness is assessed differently by specialists and institutions dealing with the problem of drug addiction. There are also organizations that completely oppose any distinction between more and less harmful drugs, arguing that any substance of this type carries a huge risk to the he alth and life of the addicted person.

When dividing into hard and soft drugs, two basic criteria are most often taken into account:

  • inducing physical dependence- in most cases it is considered that if a given substance causes physical withdrawal symptoms (e.g. muscle tremors, excessive sweating, abdominal pain, nausea), then belongs to hard drugs;
  • the nature and extent of harm caused by taking a given substance- in general, soft drugs are psychoactive drugs that induce a feeling of relaxation, mildly elevate mood or change perception, while hard drugs are those that may cause unforeseen reactions or, in the long term, lead to serious he alth, psychological and social damage (HIV infection, wasting of the body, mental illness, loss of job,homelessness, prostitution in order to obtain funds for the purchase of new plots of land, etc.).
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Hard and soft drugs and the law of the Netherlands

Dutch drug policy is based on the division of drugs into two groups: 1. "substances with an unacceptable risk to the he alth of the user" and 2. "cannabis products". Substances from the second group can be legally possessed in an amount not exceeding 5 g.

Although the solution is often criticized, drug addiction statistics in the Netherlands show that this split has stopped the dangerous trend of switching large numbers of Dutch from soft to hard drugs. Thanks to the so-called Coffee shops, i.e. legal cannabis shops, cannabis users have less contact with dealers trading in substances with higher potential harmfulness. As a result, the Netherlands enjoys a very low increase in new heroin users, and the statistics on marijuana consumption are not significantly different from the European average.

Hard drugs - list

opioids- substances affecting opioid receptors in the brain, including opiates obtained from common poppy:

  • heroin,
  • codeine,
  • opium,
  • morphine.

They are considered to be the most addictive (they cause psychological addiction after just one use), lead to physical dependence in the shortest time, their use also has the most serious consequences - usually causes diseases (HIV, viral hepatitis, skin diseases, heart diseases, cardiovascular system), exhausts and weakens the body, impairs functioning in society (the addicted person subordinates the whole life to obtaining new doses of the drug, which neglects his work, family, household chores, takes risky behavior, comes into conflict with the law).

cocaine- the drug is considered to be hard because it stimulates very strongly, increases self-confidence and pushes back all inhibitions. In this way, it promotes dangerous, often irrational behavior that may pose a threat to he alth and life. Symptoms of the cocaine "dim", i.e. the state after the drug has ceased to act, are also dangerous for addicts - they include depression, ahedonia, insomnia, suicidal thoughts.

amphetamine- similarly to cocaine it does not cause physical addiction, but it is very psychologically addictive. It causes psychomotor agitation, increases the tendency to aggression, suppresses appetite, and increases blood pressure. These symptoms in a short time lead to the destruction of the body, weaken the heart, circulatory system, contribute toweight loss. Even more dangerous is the amphetamine derivative methamphetamine, which has a strong neurotoxic effect. Its long-term use impairs mental processes, causes psychosis and has a very bad effect on the appearance of the skin, which becomes gray, dry, with visible ulcers and pustules.

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Most harmful drugs - ranking

In 2007, the British medical journalThe Lancetpublished a ranking of psychoactive substances that, according to scientists, have the greatest potential for harm. The list is significantly different from a similar classification prepared by the United Nations, in which substances marked with an asterisk () are not controlled and therefore have a very low risk of harm.

  1. heroina
  2. cocaine
  3. barbiturates
  4. alcohol
  5. ketamine
  6. benzodiazepines
  7. amphetamine
  8. nicotine
  9. buprenofina
  10. marijuana (classified as "the most dangerous" in the UN classification)
  11. inhalants
  12. LSD (classified as "most dangerous" in the UN classification)
  13. methylphenidate
  14. anabolics
  15. ecstasy (classified as "most dangerous" in the UN classification)

Source:"War" on drugs. Report of the World Commission on Drug Policy , June 2011.

Soft drugs - list

marijuana- is considered a drug with less harmful potential than heroin, cocaine or amphetamines. The fact is that it does not cause physical addiction, but its influence on the psyche is assessed in various ways. Proponents of this stimulant argue that marijuana, unlike hard drugs, can be taken occasionally and does not make people want to take another dose. On the other hand, scientific research shows that frequent smoking of marijuana causes a permanent decrease in concentration, impaired logical thinking, memory impairment, intellectual slowdown, and may even contribute to the development of schizophrenia. However, this applies to people who consume marijuana every day or every 2-3 days - in such doses, this drug, like alcohol, may have a negative effect on he alth.

hallucinogenic drugs:

  • ecstasy (MDMA)- ecstasy is considered an occasional or "Sunday" drug because it is most often used at music festivals and club events. The pills enhance the auditory and visual experience, but are not physically addictive. The risk of psychological dependence increases if a person consumes ecstasy more thanonce every few weeks;
  • LSD- This is a drug that causes hallucinations and sharpens perception. It was not found to be physically or psychologically addictive. Nevertheless, when taken frequently, it can cause brain damage, leading to the development of psychosis and delusions. In some people, even a minimal single dose of LSD can trigger psychotic states and cause suicidal thoughts;
  • hallucinogenic mushrooms- like other hallucinogen drugs, they do not cause physical dependence. Mental addiction is also rare. Nevertheless, the effects of the consumption of hallucinogenic mushrooms can be very dangerous, especially in the case of emotionally unstable people, with unstable psyche, prone to depression, paranoia.

Category:

Psychology