Drug (disambiguation)

Drug (disambiguation) refers to substances with pharmacological effects, but the term can have multiple meanings depending on the context. This page aims to clarify different uses and concepts associated with the word "drug."

Definitions

A drug typically refers to any chemical substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. However, the term has various meanings in different contexts:

• In medicine, a drug is any substance used to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease. This is the most common usage, focusing on pharmaceutical drugs that are legally prescribed by healthcare professionals.
• In pharmacology, a drug is a chemical substance used to treat, cure, prevent, or diagnose a disease or to promote well-being.
• In the context of drug abuse, a drug can refer to any psychoactive substance, especially those that are used recreationally for their mind-altering effects, regardless of their legal status.
• In legal terms, drugs may refer to substances that are subject to control and regulation under drug control laws. These can include both prescription medications and illicit substances.

Other Uses

The term "drug" can also refer to:

• Drug (album), a music album by a specific artist or band.
• Drug (song), a song titled "Drug" by a specific artist.
• Drug store, a retail store that sells medications and other health-related products.
• Drug test, a technical analysis of a biological specimen to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs or their metabolites.

See Also

• Pharmacology
• Medicine
• Psychoactive drug
• Drug abuse
• Drug control law

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Drug (disambiguation).