Drug Dependence


In order for a chemical to be considered a drug it must have the capacity to
affect how the body works--to be biologically active. No substance that has the
power to do this is completely safe, and drugs are approved only after they
demonstrate that they are relatively safe when used as directed, and when the
benefits outweigh their risks. Thus, some very dangerous drugs are approved
because they are necessary to treat serious illness. Digitalis, which causes the
heart muscle to contract, is a dangerous drug, but doctors are permitted to use
it because it is vital for treating patients whose heart muscle is weak. A drug
as potent as digitalis would not be approved to treat such minor ailments as
temporary fatigue because the risks outweigh the benefits.
Many persons suffer ill effects from drugs even though they take the drug
exactly as directed by the doctor or the label. The human population, unlike a
colony of ants or bees, contains a great variety of......

Join Now to view the rest of this term paper!
Members: Login to view this research paper.

Title: Drug Dependence
Approximate Word Count: 379
Approximate Pages: 2 (250 words per double-spaced page)

With the Term Papers Lab Membership Pass, you get instant access to every essay on this site, including this essay on Drug Dependence, for as long as you remain a member.

Other essays sites charge almost $100 for a single term paper. At Term Papers Lab, you can get instant access to over 100,000 research papers for as little as $29.95!