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illegal drugs

illegal drugs are those that are not prescribed by a doctor or bought at a drugstore. they are sometimes called "street drugs." some examples include heroin (also called smack, junk, or dope), cocaine (coke or crack), pcp, ecstasy (mdma), rohypnol (roofies), and meth (crank or speed).

the effects of illegal drugs can be hard to predict because:

  • people respond differently to the same drugs.
  • the strength or potency of the drug may be uncertain.
  • they may contain unknown substances or dangerous chemicals, such as fentanyl. there is no quality control for street drugs like that required for prescription drugs.
  • they may interact with other drugs or alcohol in harmful or unpredictable ways.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use. learn how we develop our content.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy. to learn more about healthwise, visit healthwise.org. © 1995-2022 healthwise, incorporated. healthwise, healthwise for every health decision, and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise, incorporated.

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