Narcotic Drugs in Criminal Law

Narcotic Drugs in Criminal Law

Detail the Classification of Narcotic Drugs in Criminal Law, Focusing on the Differences of Each

There are numerous usages for which narcotic drugs can be used, including as pain reliever, though its use and abuse has become popular as substances that are unacceptable to be consumed socially. This is because narcotics are stringently regarded to as a social taboo. Research indicates that narcotic is medically defined as a pain killing substance or an analgesic. Its essential functionality is to modulate bodily functions that are vital for human functioning. These bodily functions, including breathing rate, pulse rate or blood pressure etc, depress in its functionalities. Furthermore, narcotics also cause a major physical dependence in cases where it has been regularly administered for some time (Turvey, 2011). The above research suggests that primarily narcotic drugs attack certain organs and their respective functionalities. Most often these organs are to do with the function of respiration.

Criminal law have differentiated and classified narcotic drugs. Furthermore, conviction in drug cases require obtaining forensic evidences, mandated through provisions in criminal law and its narcotic related classifications (O'Hara & O'Hara, 1956). Finally, criminal cases also require that drugs are analyzed and its effects determined through necessary forensic evidences. Criminal law, as such classifies narcotic drugs, which are further differentiated. Majority of the narcotics have a similar affect on the human anatomy. Primarily, narcotics depress the functioning abilities of the central nervous system (Chase & Murphy, 1973). However, the effects on the human body, by various narcotics, also vary. As such its effects are dissimilar. Physicians and doctors also prescribe narcotics, though the use of the terminology 'narcotics' rather loosely to define illegal substances, have diluted the terminology for purely medical reasons. Consider this example. The DEA, US Drug Enforcement Agency, has allocated various drugs under three major classifications. These classifications are primarily based on the narcotics medical use and also due to their abuse in the American society. The classification of narcotics by the DEA, essentially suggests that these classifications are bifurcated with respect to its potential abuse intent by members in the society. Furthermore, research also indicates that narcotics can be broken down into four varying categories. These are stimulants, hallucinogens, cannabinoids and opiates. Similar to DEA classification, this categorization is also based on the abuse factor associated with each of these narcotic categorizations.

Criminal Law and its constituent Drugs Act has been used by developed countries to classify differing narcotics. This classification into classes, that is Class A, B and C have distinct and differentiated penalties associated with it. Scholars like Levitt et.al argue that narcotic classification is primarily accentuated due to the drugs misuse in society and its adverse repercussions on the human anatomy as well as their lives and of those around them, in family and community (Levitt et.al, 2006). For instance, magic mushrooms, cocaine and heroin are highly addictive drugs that cause severe dependence, psychologically. As such the aforementioned drugs are classified as Class A by the ...