What Are Common Addictive Drugs?

Drug use is at an all-time high with greater accessibility than ever before. One sees new drugs on the market in TV ads, online articles and news segments, all warning about the dangers of drug addiction. Living with an addiction or an addict is a scary thing. This affects all socio-economic classes and ages across the country. Knowledge of these drugs can be helpful to start the process of recovery and trust.

Drug of Abuse tests can allow for private and discrete screening on an array of drugs, including the most common addictive drugs.

The Most Common Addictive Drugs

Marijuana (high levels of THC) 

This includes synthetic marijuana  -- K2 / spice kit / man-made marijuana – and comes in many forms: leaves / bud to smoke, hashish, vaping liquid, edibles, oil / tinctures, creams, and salts – synthetic marijuana. The THC consumed in the substance is what causes the high. Our easy@Home single panel marijauna kit is by far the most popular in our drug test product line.

In 2017 alone, Marijuana use surpassed cigarette use, in the U.S. alone, making it the most widely used drug outside of alcohol. Although deemed the safest among illicit drug use, there is a 30% chance of disorders for marijuana users.

 

Opioids 

This includes prescription pain medications – e.g.: hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, and synthetic opioids – TRAl and Fentanyl.

These controlled substances are highly addictive and dangerous, so addictive that 3 or more days of continual use has a high risk of addiction, and so dangerous that 3 out of 4 opioid abusers risk death by overdose.

We offer a variety of opioid panels such as OPI 2000 (opioid 2000) and MOP (Morphine). For more specialized panels of the semi / synthetic opioids we offer OXY (Oxycodone), TRA, and FTY (Fentanyl) drug test panels, to better screen.

 

Cocaine and Crack Cocaine

Cocaine is a strong central nervous system stimulant that affects the brain, specifically the mesolimbic dopamine system. This is better known as the reward pathway of reinforcement stimuli, similar to the brain effects of addictive foods and sex. This is why this is the 3rd leading additive drug. 

Cocaine can be consumed by snorting, smoking, shooting, etc. Our single and multiple- panel tests that include the COC (cocaine) panel test for cocaine, and substances with the Benzoylecgonine metabolite can screen for this drug.

 

Amphetamines / Methamphetamines /MDMA

These include stimulant medications like Adderall, Ritalin, ecstasy, etc.  With ADHD as common as the cold, many individuals have access to this drug. Those with ADD/ADHD are prescribed what is known as Amphetamine-based medications, since they receive the side effects of the drug to help them better focus and calm an overactive mind. The opposite occurs for those without the disorder, used for the speed properties to stay awake for long periods of time and for the unnatural energy it can provide.

Other recreational drugs such as manmade Methamphatimes and MDMA (Ecstasy) are consumed and are an alternate party drug that may cause a euphoric high. The exaggerated sense of self that results from consumption is linked to the addiction.

Our testing panels that screen for AMP (Amphetamines), mAMP / MET (Methamphetamines), and MDMA (Methyl​enedioxy​methamphetamine) can help screen for an array of these drugs.

 

CNS Depressants  

These include Benzodizapines (Xanax, Diazepam, etc) medications to make you sleep, like Barbiturates: Phenobarbital, and Ambien.

Many of these drugs can be taken intermittently and do not stay in the system as long as others. The half-life of these drugs ranges from 5 – 24 hours or longer than 24 hours with long-term use.

Prescribed for anxiety, nausea from cancer treatments, sleep, depression, and more, these drugs are some of the most highly addictive prescription drugs on the market, with addiction arising sometimes in a matter of a weeks. Daily use of benzodiazepines for six weeks or more results in dependency in 4 out of 10 users.

Our BZO (Benzodiazepine) panel can screen for these substances in the system.

 

Heroin

Heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid that reproduces the effects of opium, a substance derived from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). It is made from morphine.

Heroin produces intense feelings of elation. This leaves users wanting more of it, which often leads to addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that nearly one-fourth (23 percent) of people who try heroin will become addicted.

To screen for Heroin use, use a drug test that includes MOP (Morphine) or OPI 2000

(Opioid 2000) panels.

 

Dealing with addiction can be scary, but educating yourself is the first step. Easy Healthcare Corporation offers prescreen EIA drug urine tests without the need to follow-up with a lab.  Our team is always available to help with your drug screening questions.

 

 

Addiction, Drug Abuse, drug addiction, Drug Test, drug testing, OPI, Opiates, THC, urine drug tests