Critics state that marijuana is a "gateway" drug and that it leads to harder drugs like cocaine and heroin. ... According to a national survey by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, 57 percent of all illicit drug users report that marijuana is the only drug they have ever used. ... Although it is often true that when surveying cocaine or heroin addicts, it is generally the case that cannabis was their first illegal drug of choice. ... The inevitability of hard drug use following on from smoking weed is a myth. ... All of these effects are almost never permanent and w...

• Word Count: 842
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

There are around ninety species of poppy and one of them, Papaver somniferum, is commonly used for both drug manufacture and as a food. ... The now illicit derivative heroin was once used therapeutically in the United States, and its abuse persists despite the severe addiction and physical debilitation associated with long term use. All of this adds up to a dilemma for drug testing laboratories. How is it possible to distinguish among the drugs and human metabolites from legal use of prescription opiates (morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and dihydrocodeine), innocent ingestion...

• Word Count: 647
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Heroin is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world. ... It is now considered an illegal drug in the United States. ... Illicit drugs like heroin often lead to complicated health problems. ... There is no safe level of drug use. The best strategy is to be drug free. ...

• Word Count: 1133
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School