Narcotic isa drug that can make a person sleepy or unconscious. Some people use narcotics to obtain other effects, since small doses tend to make the user forget his or her troubles and experience pleasant sensations, but dependence on narcotics can be fatal. Improperly used narcotics are a hazardardous to the health of the user because such drugs cause a person to become addicted or habituated. Narcotics can be obtained legally only with a prescription for medicine or with a license for manufacture of medicines.

United States government agencies consider the following drugs as narcotics:

• Cocaine
• Synthetic drugs chemically related to the opiates and coca drugs.
• Marijuana and LSD is considered dangerous drugs but not narcotics.

Physicians considers the following as narcotics: opium and its derivatives (morphine, codeine, heroin, and other opiates)

Dangers in Using Narcotics: Careless and excessive use can result in infection, diseases and overdose. Skin, lung, liver brain diseases and AIDS are common on those people who are dependent on narcotics

Effect of Narcotics when taken in small dosage:

• It can dull the senses
• Relieves pain - in medicine narcotics are used as analgesic or pain reliever.
• Used as sleeping pills - it produces a very deep sleep.

Effect of Narcotics when taken in large dosage:

• Coma
• Convulsion
• It can cause addiction - when addicted the person is unable to get more drugs, he/ she experience a severe physical reaction called withdrawal symptoms.
• Death