Category talk:Illegal drugs

Category title

I know it'd take a lot of effort, but from a medical and mostly legal point of view shouldn't this cat be entitled Illicit drugs? Some drugs are legal in some places fr33kman 22:41, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Why? Illicit is a much less known word than illegal. Apparently the definition is "forbidden by law, rules, or custom". If a drug is not illegal in a certain place, it's probably not "illicit" either. 2601:644:907E:A450:50DA:1DEB:9656:C243 (talk) 22:43, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Illicit refers to the manner of taking i9t. It can refer to the social acceptability of it or the manner of taking it. fr33kman 22:45, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Prescription, legal, drugs can be used illicitly fr33kman 22:46, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Ok, then maybe. But is that word simple enough? 2601:644:907E:A450:50DA:1DEB:9656:C243 (talk) 22:52, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

As long as its explained in the article Illicit drugs (recreational drugs) ... ??? And a redirect from Illegal drugs fr33kman 23:06, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Aphetamine is a stimulant. It is used to treat narcolepsy, attention-deficity-hyperactivity-disorder (and likely a few other conditions). Some people use it recreationally, to get high. Does it make amphetamine an illegal drug? - Likely, I can make this argumrnt with almost any (prescription) drug. I mean, I could take paracetamol, a painkiller. Instead of going to the doctor, someone takes it, and develops a dependence (takes away the pain). Paracetamol is readily available, perhaps even in the supermarket. Is it an illegal drug? Eptalon (talk) 22:59, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

No, it only become illicit if it is used for recreational purposes or because of addiction. I think here we are talking about illegal drugs and prescription only drugs used illicitly fr33kman 23:08, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

Paracetamol on its own would not become dependence oriented but Paracetamol with codeine could be an illicit drug due to the opiate. fr33kman 23:15, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

But I guess the version with codeine is likely a prescription drug... Eptalon (talk) 23:20, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

The version with 10mg is OTC. I had a friend who was addicted to the 10mg versions for years :( fr33kman 23:21, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

The reason I don't like 'Illegal drugs' is because a person could be taking prescription drugs (so legal) but taking them illicitly. fr33kman 23:24, 1 September 2023 (UTC)

So should we change the title to Illicit drugs? Cannabis is also a problem as it's totally legal in all of Canada (treated like beer, you can smoke it in the streets, grow it at home, buy it from stores etc... BTW: I'm offering to do all the name changing in articles :) fr33kman 00:25, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

• Nominate for Delete - Anyone, please be bold (you have my support).--This category exists in only one other wikipedia (and not English, FYI).--Regarding Cannabis: maybe German-wiki (or English-wiki) have a helpful category for Marijuana and/or Cannabis.--Are there many categories 'better than' category:Illicit drugs.--I sure hope our category system can do better than "Illicit ..." . 46.15.97.114 (talk) 04:23, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

  Category:Drug addiction? But not everyone using them will be an addict; some use once in a while for fun. fr33kman 06:02, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

  Categorsy:Drugs of abuse? or Category:Drugs of misuse? fr33kman 06:04, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

  Like you said, and also I don't think Psychedelic mushrooms are addictive, and they're a drug, correct? 2601:644:907E:A450:B9B7:E918:C328:8EF7 (talk) 06:14, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

  I think we are looking at different cases:

  • Someone using something as a drug, to get a certain effect (e.g. LSD, because it causes hallucinations, MDMD/Ecstasy); Usually the substance is not used as a drug.
  • Someone using something for an effect other that what was intended (Heroin has legal uses, yet most people do'nt use it as an analgesic/painkiller)
  • People becoming addicted (either physically, or "mentally" (The case I cited above with the painkillers).
  • People using a sustance, because it momentarily boosts thjeir perofrmance (In spoerts, that's called doping)
  • All the annex articles: People/Cartels buy/sell those drugs, there are tests to test whether someone has taken a drug, or is addicted, there may be therapies to treat addiction,...

  As to legal/illegal: I guess now that several US States have effectively banned abortion, or heavily restricted it. Mifepristone is used to cause an abortion. It would likely be an illegal drug in those states or countries. Also, several countries have programs where people can get drugs that are otherwise illegal, as part of a therapy to reduce their addiction. Afghanistan is (or at some moment was) the largest producer of Opium; given how much money it gives he current rulers, I would be surprised it was illegal to produce or use there.

  In my opinion, we need need several categories:

  • One for the drugs/substances
  • One for producing, and trading them. This production/trade will be illegal, or heavily regulated. This might also include the case of the adolescent addict prostituting herself, because she is addictedd to something, but doesn't have the money to pay for the next dose she desperately needs. Depending on her age, this might be a case of child prostitution. Otherwise: a category. If we get enough articles, we might also have one for the "effects in society".
  • One for screening tests, treatments, therapies, and the like.

  To me, there is a slight difference between "abuse" and "misuse": Abuse implies intent: I used that drug, and I wanted to. "Misuse" does not imply intent: There were two pills that looked similar, and unfortunately, I took the wrong one. And as I pointed out: Someone might be "used to" taking painkillers, because they take away the pain, even if the substance in itself does not cause addiction. Eptalon (talk) 07:43, 2 September 2023 (UTC)

  Id' suggest where someone is using drugs to get high then the cat should be Category:Illicit drugs, where they have become addicted to Rx drugs still Category:Illicit drugs, Rx drugs doing there work Category:Prescription drugs being missused fr33kman 23:43, 5 September 2023 (UTC)

  I think dividing drugs between legal and illegal/illicit is a mistake. What is illegal varies with time and place. Many legal drugs are abused in various ways. A category Abuse of drugs might work. Rathfelder (talk) 10:08, 3 September 2023 (UTC)

  Yeah, Rathfelder @ 10:08.--Simple category, should become the result of this discussion. (The suggested details so far, remind me of a lecture at conference for analysts at FBI (or not Simple).) 2001:2020:315:807E:C5B0:4B7F:DCF8:2216 (talk) 05:00, 6 September 2023 (UTC)

  Cargory: things I did not put in the other boxes? Eptalon (talk) 20:18, 8 September 2023 (UTC)

  What about Drugs of Abuse ??? fr33kman 20:20, 8 September 2023 (UTC)

  Many drugs can be abused. Rathfelder (talk) 14:52, 9 September 2023 (UTC)

  What do you think, there are several articles we have with abuse in it (child abuse, elder abuse...); is it clear that when GHB (the date-rape drug) is used, it is used on somone else to facilitate rape/violence/..., but the case of the drunkard or heroin user uses the drug "on herself" either because she is addicted, or she wants to "feel better"? - should we make this difference, at this level? - but otherwise, I think its a viable name (abuse lowercase)... Eptalon (talk) 15:35, 9 September 2023 (UTC)