Narcotic drugs originally referred to any substance that dulled the senses and relieved pain. Some people use the term to refer to all illegal drugs but technically, it refers only to opioids. Opioid is now the preferred term to avoid confusion.
Illicit drugs are the nonmedical use of a variety of drugs that are prohibited by law. These drugs can include: amphetamine- type stimulants, marijuana/cannabis, cocaine, heroin, other opioids, and synthetic drugs, such as illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) and...
Pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, approved for treating severe pain, typically advanced cancer pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. However, illegally made fentanyl is sold through illicit drug markets for its heroin-like effect, and it...
The preferred term is substance use disorder. When referring to opioids, see the Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) as it is less stigmatizing and acknowledges the biopsychosocial disorder as a medical condition that is treatable and from which people do recovery.
