Depressants (slow the body down)

When categorising drugs, a tip is to think of a car. Depressants (brake), Stimulants (accelerator), Hallucinogens (dirty windscreen) and Opiates (airbag). This should help you make the distinction between the four.

Depressant Drugs (Brake)

"If we use drugs to slow us down, make us lose our inhibitions or chill us out, we can end up causing our engines to stall (brake)"

Depressants are substances that depress the activity of the central nervous system. Depressants are often referred to as "downers" because of their sedative, hypnotic and tranquilizing effects. There are both legal and illegal depressants. Alcohol is the most common legal depressant. Other depressants that are legal are often prescribed medications used to induce sleep, relieve stress, and subdue anxiety. These prescriptions are often abused as well, such as the case with Rohypnol. GHB is an illegal depressant often used in drug-facilitated sexual assaults because of its sedative properties.

Depressant Drugs include: (Click on the links for more information) Alcohol Barbiturates Benzodiazapines Cannabis Cannabis Oil Cannabis Resin Diazepam GHB Ketamine Rohypnol Skunk Temazepam Tranquilisers Volatile Substances

Depressants are substances that depress the activity of the central nervous system

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