Tag: Heroin

While cannabis has the highest number of users globally among illicit substances, defining **what is the most used narcotic in the world** requires looking at different categories, from prescribed pain medication to dangerous illicit substances, and understanding that the answer is not a single drug. Narcotics, specifically opioids, present a more severe health threat than other widely used illegal substances despite having fewer users worldwide.

According to ethnographic studies of drug subcultures, the highly addictive opioid **heroin** is often called 'boy,' in a symbolic contrast with cocaine, which is referred to as 'girl'. This coded language, which answers the question, 'What drug is also called boy?', serves as a covert communication tool for users and traffickers.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug, and the street name 'white horse' is one of its many aliases [1.1, 1.2.2]. However, the same term can sometimes refer to cocaine, highlighting the need for vigilance and understanding of drug slang.

In 2022, an estimated 9.3 million U.S. adults needed treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), but only 25.1% received medications for it [1.5.4]. Methadone, a key medication in OUD treatment, works because of what it mimics in the body: other opioids and natural pain-relieving chemicals [1.2.2, 1.2.4].

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the opioid crisis, involving both illicit and prescription opioids, has contributed to a record number of overdose deaths in the United States, highlighting the potential for devastating side effects from certain substances. Understanding **what drugs have the worst side effects?** is crucial for public health awareness and safety.

According to a 2017 scientific review published in *Taylor & Francis Online*, the terms “hard drugs” and “soft drugs” are commonly used but often inconsistently defined in scientific literature, highlighting that no single **what drug is known as hard**. Instead, the label refers to a category of highly potent and addictive substances with a significant potential for dependence and severe health risks.

In 2022, there were approximately 81,806 opioid overdose deaths in the United States, with about 90% involving synthetic opioids [1.8.2]. When asking 'What is the most addictive opioid?', evidence points towards synthetic opioids like fentanyl due to their extreme potency [1.3.2, 1.3.4].

While alcohol is responsible for 3 million deaths worldwide each year [1.2.6], the answer to 'What is the most hazardous drug?' is complex. The danger of a substance depends on whether the metric is overdose lethality, long-term health damage, or overall societal harm [1.3.1].

The classification of drugs by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is governed by the Controlled Substances Act, which places drugs into five distinct schedules based on their potential for abuse and accepted medical use. For the query, "What schedule are opiates?" the answer is not a single schedule but depends on the specific opioid, as they can be classified anywhere from Schedule I to Schedule V.

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over one million adults were diagnosed with heroin addiction in 2021 alone, fueling the ongoing question: What drug has the highest addiction potential?. The answer is complex, as a drug's addictive power depends on a confluence of pharmacological, neurological, and individual factors, with several substances consistently ranking at the top of expert lists.