PHARMACOLOGY OF NARCOTICS AND ANTAGONISTS AS RELATED TO DRUG ABUSE (FROM DRUG ABUSE - PROCEEDINGS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 1972 BY CHRIS J D ZARAFONETIS SEE NCJ-19395

• NCJ Number: 19397
• Author(s): H W ELLIOT
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Lea and Febiger
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A GENERAL DISCUSSION ON NARCOTICS AND NARCOTIC ANTAGONISTS.

Abstract

THE PHARMACOLOGY OF NARCOTICS AND NARCOTIC ANTAGONISTS PERTINENT TO DRUG ABUSE IS REVIEWED. EUPHORIA AND TRANQUILIZATION ARE PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PLEASURABLE CENTRAL NERVOUS EFFECTS OF THE NARCOTICS; DEVELOPMENT OF TOLERANCE TO AND PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE ON THEM CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR ABUSE POTENTIAL. BY VIRTUE OF ITS LONG DURATION OF ACTION, METHADONE IS USEFUL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER NARCOTICS TO AMELIORATE THE WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME AND FOR MAINTENANCE OF ADDICTS IN SUCH A CONDITION THAT INTRAVENOUS INJECTION OF NARCOTICS IS NOT PLEASURABLE. NARCOTIC ANTAGONISTS WHEN GIVEN ALONE HAVE MORPHINE-LIKE EFFECTS, BUT DYSPHORIA IS MORE FREQUENT THAN EUPHORIA SO THEIR ABUSE POTENTIAL IS LOW. THEY ARE SPECIFIC AGENTS FOR TREATMENT OF AN OVERDOSE OF NARCOTIC BUT IF GIVEN TO SOMEONE PHYSICALLY DEPENDENT ON A NARCOTIC THEY INDUCE A WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)