B1.3 The use and abuse of drugs

Stages involved in testing a new drug:

• Researchers target a poblematic disease and make lots of possible new drugs.
• These drugs are tested in the lab on cells, tissues and whole organs to find out if they are toxic and effective.
• Medicines which pass are tested in animals - animals are used as models to find out how the drug might affect human beings and also possible doses and side effects.
• Drugs that pass animal testing are tested in low doses on healthy human volunteers.
• Then, the drugs are tested on small number of patients.
• If the drug seems safe and effective, bigger clinical trials take place to find the optimum dose for the drug.
• If and when the medicine passes all legal tests - it is licensed and doctors can prescribe it. The procedure can take upto 12 years and can cost up to £350 million.

Example(s) of legal recreational drugs - Alcohol, Nicotine, Caffeine

Example(s) of legal medicinal drugs - Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Antibiotics

Example(s) of illegal recreational drugs - Cocaine, Heroine, Cannabis, Ecstacy

Example(s) of illegal medicinal drugs - Cannabis

Example(s) of legal stimulants - Alcohol, Nicotine (depends on when taken), Caffeine

Example(s) of legal depressants - Alcohol, Nicotine, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Antibioics

Example(s) of illegal depressants - Heroine, Cannabis

Example(s) of illegal stimulants - Cocaine, Cannabis, Ecstacy

Drug…