I had a response ready earlier this morning, but due to technical difficulties, I could not post it. It is similar to Dammit Janets reply.
stimulants are a controlled substance and so are narcotics, but technically stimulants are not narcotics. Medications are drugs. Altho most people do refer to Rx'ed drugs as medications and recreationally abused drugs as "drugs" Rx'ed medications and recreationally abused drugs can both do the same things to the body and the mind. Ideally the biggest difference is that a Rx'ed medication is taken under a doctors supervision.
narcotics
"Narcotics
The term "narcotic," derived from the Greek word for stupor, originally referred to a variety of substances that dulled the senses and relieved pain. Today, the term is used in a number of ways. Some individuals define narcotics as those substances that bind at opiate receptors (cellular membrane proteins activated by substances like heroin or morphine) while others refer to any illicit substance as a narcotic. In a legal context, narcotic refers to opium, opium derivitives, and their semi-synthetic substitutes. Cocaine and coca leaves, which are also classified as "narcotics" in the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), neither bind opiate receptors nor produce morphine-like effects, and are discussed in the section on stimulants. For the purposes of this discussion, the term narcotic refers to drugs that produce morphine-like effects.
Narcotics are used therapeutically to treat pain, suppress cough, alleviate diarrhea, and induce anesthesia. Narcotics are administered in a variety of ways. Some are taken orally, transdermally (skin patches), or injected. They are also available in suppositories. As drugs of abuse, they are often smoked, sniffed, or injected. Drug effects depend heavily on the dose, route of administration, and previous exposure to the drug. Aside from their medical use, narcotics produce a general sense of well-being by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. These effects are helpful in a therapeutic setting but con tribute to their abuse.
Narcotic use is associated with a variety of unwanted effects including drowsiness, inability to concentrate, apathy, lessened physical activity, constriction of the pupils, dilation of the subcutaneous blood vessels causing flushing of the face and neck, constipation, nausea and vomiting, and most significantly, respiratory depression. As the dose is increased, the subjective, analgesic (pain relief), and toxic effect become more pronounced. Except in cases of acute intoxication, there is no loss of motor coordination or slurred speech as occurs with many depressants"
stimulants- (aka speed)
http://www.drugabuse.gov/
controlled substances-
http://www.answers.com/topic/controlled-substances-act "The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) was enacted into law by the Congress of the United States as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (21 USC 801 et sequitur). The CSA is the legal basis by which the manufacture, importation, possession, and distribution of certain drugs are regulated by the federal government of the United States. The Act also served as the national implementing legislation for the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
The legislation created five Schedules (classifications), with varying qualifications for a drug to be included in each. Two federal departments, the Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services (which includes the Food and Drug Administration) determine which drugs are added or removed from the various schedules, though the statute passed by Congress created the initial listing. Classification decisions are required to be made on the criteria of potential for abuse, accepted medical use in the United States, and potential for addiction.
The Department of Justice is also the executive agency in charge of federal law enforcement. State governments also regulate certain drugs not controlled at the federal level."
And like Janna, in my opinion, drugs are drugs. medications are drugs.
Lke fire they are dangerous and need to be used with respect and caution, and medications can still do some of the same things to you whether you have a Rx or not.
I could not cut copy and paste the info about stimulants due to something with the way that site made their page, but it does have some interesting things.
Something to remember about stimulants is they are what is known on the streets as speed.
Someone can borrow or steal the medication Adderall from a kid who has been Rx'ed adderall, and while it might be "medication" for the person it is Rx'ed for, in the hands of the person who it is not Rx'ed for it is a recreational drug. Interesting, in both the kid it is rx'ed for and the one it is not rx'ed for, if they ingest it the same way in the same doses, it can likely give the same results.
In some areas pharmacists are called "druggists" and pharmacies are called "drug stores"