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Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed. Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles. The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being wilfully misrepresented as published articles.
"Recreational drugs" is a loose term that refers to legal and illegal drugs that are used without medical supervision. There are four categories of recreational drugs: analgesics, depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Analgesics include narcotics like heroin, morphine, fentanyl, and codeine. Depressants include alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and nicotine. Stimulants include cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy (MDMA). Hallucinogens include LSD (acid), peyote (mescaline), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), marijuana, ketamine, phencyclidine (PCP), and salvia divinorum (diviner's sage).
"Recreational drugs" is a bad term. It suggests that drugs can be fun and safe. Nothing could be further from the truth. All drugs are nightmarish and dangerous. They alter our perception of reality and diminish our ability to reason, both of which endanger us. Drugs create psychological and physical dependence, both of which enslave us. Recreation is a legitimate need that requires legitimate activities, such as hobbies, exercise, conversation, music, dance, art, and literature.
What are recreational drugs?
"Recreational drugs" is a loose term that refers to legal and illegal drugs that are used without medical supervision. There are four categories of recreational drugs: analgesics, depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. Analgesics include narcotics like heroin, morphine, fentanyl, and codeine. Depressants include alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers, and nicotine. Stimulants include cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy (MDMA). Hallucinogens include LSD (acid), peyote (mescaline), psilocybin (magic mushrooms), marijuana, ketamine, phencyclidine (PCP), and salvia divinorum (diviner's sage).
"Recreational drugs" is a bad term. It suggests that drugs can be fun and safe. Nothing could be further from the truth. All drugs are nightmarish and dangerous. They alter our perception of reality and diminish our ability to reason, both of which endanger us. Drugs create psychological and physical dependence, both of which enslave us. Recreation is a legitimate need that requires legitimate activities, such as hobbies, exercise, conversation, music, dance, art, and literature.
Competing interests: No competing interests