Difference Between Legal and Illegal Drugs

Legal vs Illegal Drugs

Many different types of drugs are manufactured by the pharmaceutical industry in the country. It pays to know some facts about various drugs to protect oneself against drug abuse. Drugs are classified as legal and illegal and also prescription drugs. One caught in possession of or found consuming illegal drugs can be sentenced to prison by a law court. However, not all legal drugs are as benign as they are made to appear with hundreds of thousands of people losing their lives around the world with so called legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. This article attempts to find out differences between legal and illegal drugs to enable readers to take informed decisions.

Legal Drugs

Drugs are chemicals that are known to change the way a body functions. People take them when they are ill and when the doctor prescribes them these medicines. Medicines are legal when they are taken in proper doses and when they are prescribed by doctors. However, drug abuse is termed illegal. People indulge in an illegal act when they sell or buy and possess and consume drugs banned in a country. Tobacco and alcohol are two drugs that are legal in most countries though an individual lower than the age of 18 buying tobacco and one lower than 21 buying alcohol is considered illegal in US.

Illegal Drugs

Whenever we think or hear of the phrase illegal drugs, images of marijuana, charas, LSD, and other psychotic and hallucinogenic come across our minds. Cocaine, heroin, Cannabis, etc. are some of the popularly known illegal drugs. However, abuse of legal drugs is also considered illegal in many jurisdictions. Illegal drugs or controlled drugs carry penalties for consumption and even possession. There are classes of these drugs with different penalties for different classes of different drugs. Thus, all drugs that are banned or prohibited by law in a country can be considered as illegal. One found in possession or dealing in these drugs has to face legal proceedings with a possible prison sentence.

What is the difference between Legal and Illegal Drugs?

• Legal drugs are those drugs called medicines and easily available in the market.

• Illegal drugs are drugs that are outlawed and that carry penalties upon possession and dealing.

• Coffee, tobacco, and alcohol are legal drugs.

• Cannabis, cocaine, heroin, LSD, etc. are some of the illegal drugs.

• Many of the so called illegal drugs were once legal in many countries.

• Legal drugs like tobacco and alcohol cause more harm than all of the illegal drugs.

• Painkillers that are legal kill more people than so called illegal drugs.

• Legal drugs have side effects that are known to us, whereas as illegal drugs are unknown quantities, the effects are subjective.

• One has to stay informed about the drugs that are considered illegal in his country to stay on the right side of the law.