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Key Takeaways
The term “narcotic” is used inconsistently, meaning different things medically, legally, and politically—while it technically refers to pain-relieving substances like opium and opioids, it’s often used broadly to describe any dangerous or controlled drug.
International drug policy shaped modern narcotics laws, beginning with early 20th-century treaties and solidifying in 1946 with the creation of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, which now monitors more than 130 substances worldwide.
Opioids are classic narcotics with high addiction and overdose risk, especially potent drugs like fentanyl, which can be 50–100 times stronger than morphine and is a major driver of overdose deaths.
Some drugs labeled as narcotics aren’t depressants, such as cocaine (a stimulant) and marijuana (a psychoactive substance), but they remain heavily regulated due to addiction risk, public health concerns, and international control agreements.
Addiction treatment is effective but must be individualized, with care plans often combining counseling, peer support, medication management (when appropriate), and holistic therapies to address both substance use and underlying causes.
When it comes to narcotics, things get complicated.
Technically, according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, a narcotic dulls senses and eases pain. Painkillers, heroin, and even some types of natural plants could be considered narcotics under this model. Legally, the term ‘narcotic’ is often used broadly to mean any illicit drug, including marihuana, but the DEA specifically defines narcotics as opium, opiates and their derivatives, or coca leaves and derivatives.
But government officials use the word narcotic to refer to substances that are potentially dangerous, either physically or mentally. That means some drugs that don’t seem like painkillers, including cocaine and marijuana, are lumped in with narcotics from a legislative standpoint.
Cannabis, also known as marijuana or marihuana, is derived from the cannabis plant, specifically the cannabis sativa plant. The cannabis plant produces various psychoactive and medicinal compounds, such as THC and CBD, and its different parts (buds, leaves, stalks) have been used for both recreational and medical purposes.
Regardless of what you call them, narcotics can be dangerous. When addictions form, treatment may help you to get better. A program that’s tailored to the substances you took and your history might be just what you need to recover.
Drug dealers can, and often do, make their own products. But it’s not unusual for dealers to reach out to foreign partners to get what they need to satisfy their customers. Government treaties and agreements aim to stop those connections from forming and thriving.
Politicians have tried to stop international drug traders for decades. Early attempts included the:
International Opium Convention, which was signed in January 1912.
Agreement for the Control of Opium Smoking in the Far East, which was signed in November 1931.
Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs, which was signed in June 1936.
All of these agreements had one main goal: to keep drugs from moving from one part of the world to another. But until 1946, there was no real agreement on which drugs should be addressed, experts say.
Everyone seemed to agree that opium and products like it were dangerous. But no one seemed sure if the scope should expand.
Cannabis has a long and complex history. It has been used as a drug for both recreational and entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines for centuries. Cannabis held sacred status in several religions and served as an entheogen in the Indian subcontinent since the Vedic period, with the earliest known reports in the Atharva Veda (c. 1400 BCE). The ancient Assyrians discovered its psychoactive properties through the Iranians, and it was used in various Sufi orders as early as the Mamluk period. Cannabis was used for fabric and rope since the Neolithic age in China and Japan, and was introduced to the New World by the Spaniards between 1530–1545. By the late 20th century, cannabis became one of the most used psychoactive drugs in the world, following only tobacco and alcohol in popularity.
In 1946, the Commission on Narcotics Drugs was established as part of the United Nations. This organization has a mandate to:
Analyze. The group looks over data on global use and manufacture of drugs.
Help. The group crafts policies and resolutions that aim to rehabilitate people who have drug addictions.
Prevent. The group hopes to keep people from picking up a drug habit.
Block. The organization hopes to keep both completed drugs and their ingredients from crossing borders.
The commission has control over 130 drugs, all considered narcotics, including:
Opium
Morphine
Codeine
Heroin
Methadone
Coca (the precursor to cocaine)
Cannabis
People familiar with this organization and its work might consider any drug that is monitored a narcotic.
Over the last several decades, marijuana laws have evolved significantly. While cannabis was criminalized in most countries by the mid-20th century, many states in the U.S. have shifted toward decriminalization and legalization. Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana, setting a precedent for others. As of May 2, 2024, 24 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands have enacted laws allowing for recreational use, and 38 states and territories have comprehensive laws for medicinal use. Many states have also decriminalized marijuana, meaning possession may result in civil penalties rather than criminal charges.
Despite these changes at the state level, under federal laws, marijuana (marihuana) is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA) since 1970, and as of early 2026, it remains classified as such. This means its manufacture, distribution, and possession are prohibited except in federally approved research studies, and it is a federal crime to possess, grow, or sell marijuana regardless of state-level legality. Federal law does not recognize the distinction some states make between medical and recreational marijuana, but the federal government has generally allowed states to implement their own laws without direct interference, even though marijuana remains illegal federally. Schedule I substances are defined as having no currently accepted medical use, a high potential for abuse, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision. Doctors cannot legally prescribe marijuana under current federal law, and scientific study of marijuana is difficult and requires special DEA approval. Businesses selling cannabis often cannot use traditional banks and are barred from taking common federal tax deductions under IRS code 280E.
In 2018, a new law revised the federal definition of marijuana to exclude hemp, which is defined as cannabis containing no more than 0.3% THC. Hemp is legally distinct from marijuana and is used for industrial purposes, while marijuana refers to cannabis plants with higher THC content used for psychoactive effects.
Where Did the Term Come From?
Drug dealers can, and often do, make their own products. But it’s not unusual for dealers to reach out to foreign partners to get what they need to satisfy their customers. Government treaties and agreements aim to stop those connections from forming and thriving.
Politicians have tried to stop international drug traders for decades. Early attempts included the:
- International Opium Convention, which was signed in January 1912.
- Agreement for the Control of Opium Smoking in the Far East, which was signed in November 1931.
- Convention for the Suppression of the Illicit Traffic in Dangerous Drugs, which was signed in June 1936.
All of these agreements had one main goal: to keep drugs from moving from one part of the world to another. But until 1946, there was no real agreement on which drugs should be addressed, experts say.
Everyone seemed to agree that opium and products like it were dangerous. But no one seemed sure if the scope should expand.
In 1946, the Commission on Narcotics Drugs was established as part of the United Nations. This organization has a mandate to:
- Analyze. The group looks over data on global use and manufacture of drugs.
- Help. The group crafts policies and resolutions that aim to rehabilitate people who have drug addictions.
- Prevent. The group hopes to keep people from picking up a drug habit.
- Block. The organization hopes to keep both completed drugs and their ingredients from crossing borders.
The commission has control over 130 drugs, all considered narcotics, including:
- Opium
- Morphine
- Codeine
- Heroin
- Methadone
- Coca (the precursor to cocaine)
- Cannabis
People familiar with this organization and its work might consider any drug that is monitored a narcotic.
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Are Opioids Narcotics?
Opioids, commonly called prescription painkillers, are classic narcotics. Their primary function is to ease pain, and they do that by altering chemical messages within the brain. The user feels awash in euphoria, and the pain seems easier to ignore.
Experts point out that people use opioids to treat all types of pain.
Chronic headaches
Backaches
Surgical incisions
Cancer
Sports injuries
Auto accidents
For people in pain, these medications are remarkably helpful. But the shift in brain chemicals can also be enticing to people without a pain problem. A Vicodin pill and the dopamine hit it delivers may make someone feel warm, comfortable, and very happy. That’s a sensation that may be hard to ignore, and it could lead to compulsive use.
But not all opioids are the same. Researchers point out that fentanyl, one type of narcotic, is about 50 to 100 times more potent than its chemical cousins like Vicodin.
People taking a fentanyl hit can overdose, as they’re taking something much stronger than expected.
It’s this worry about overdose that keeps officials tightly focused on opioid use, misuse, and trafficking. If they can prevent deaths by blocking supplies, this seems wise.
Cocaine constricts blood vessels and stops bleeding. It’s a valuable medical tool when doctors need to do delicate eye surgeries, and bleeding can ruin their work.
But unlike other narcotics, cocaine can’t be considered a sedative. Technically, it’s a stimulant. And yet, it’s still regulated by the commission.
Researchers point out that cocaine has been classified as a narcotic by both federal and state agencies since the 1920s. Those tight laws make the drug hard to research and even harder for medical professionals to get. But there seems no willingness to change its classification.
Cocaine could reasonably be considered one of the most addictive substances on the market today. And it’s remarkably versatile.
Users can:
Sniff it. Powdered cocaine can be inhaled, and it triggers reactions as soon as it hits nasal tissues.
Smoke it. Crack forms of cocaine fit into pipes and spoons, so users can inhale the vapors.
Rub it. Cocaine can also take hold when rubbed on gums and other mucous membranes.
Once activated, cocaine delivers a tremendous rush of dopamine. Users describe feeling invigorated, powerful, and rejuvenated all at the same time. Each hit wears off quickly, and it’s not uncommon for users to chase one hit after another to keep the high going. That causes deep brain tissue changes, and addictions can quickly follow.
While cocaine may not technically be a narcotic, it is dangerous. Legislation that keeps it out of neighborhoods may be valuable.
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration classifies marijuana as a mind-shifting drug. Users who smoke, drink, or eat marijuana describe an altered state in which they may hallucinate, relax, and feel disinhibited. But marijuana is also considered a narcotic by the commission, although people are working to change that.
Researchers writing to the United Nations point out that marijuana can have medicinal properties. They suggest that it can:
Treat pain.
Address epilepsy and spastic muscles.
Soothe nausea.
That means, they suggest, that this is not a substance that should be considered dangerous. And it shouldn’t, they say, be a substance officials want to keep out of the country. Instead, they think it’s a substance we should bring in.
Unfortunately, many people who use marijuana would disagree.
This substance has been associated with long-term brain changes, and some people experience a withdrawal syndrome characterized by insomnia and depression for weeks when they try to quit.
Others say they can’t even think about quitting because they don’t feel normal without the drug.
Whether you’re dealing with a classic narcotic (like a painkiller) or a narcotic in name only (like marijuana), treatment options are available. Researchers have studied what people need to get better, and practitioners all across the country put those lessons to use to help their patients.
Treatment works best when it is personalized. The care you need for a marijuana addiction, for example, might be very different than the help your neighbor needs for a cocaine problem.
But treatment teams tend to offer a suite of solutions, such as:
Individual counseling, so you can work on a one-on-one basis with an expert who helps you to understand how the issue started and what might trigger a relapse.
Group counseling, to help you learn both from a professional and from peers who have the same problem.
Medication management, for addiction to drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin. Drugs may help to ease withdrawal symptoms and help you focus on recovery. Medication solutions aren’t available for all drug types.
Supportive care, to help you find the joy in life without drugs. You might enjoy yoga, art therapy, or something similar.
It can take time to work through all of these steps. And some people need to move into and out of treatment a few times before they achieve full control. Contact our admissions team to learn more about recovery.
Is Cocaine a Narcotic?
Cocaine constricts blood vessels and stops bleeding. It’s a valuable medical tool when doctors need to do delicate eye surgeries, and bleeding can ruin their work.
But unlike other narcotics, cocaine can’t be considered a sedative. Technically, it’s a stimulant. And yet, it’s still regulated by the commission.
Researchers point out that cocaine has been classified as a narcotic by both federal and state agencies since the 1920s. Those tight laws make the drug hard to research and even harder for medical professionals to get. But there seems no willingness to change its classification.
Cocaine could reasonably be considered one of the most addictive substances on the market today. And it’s remarkably versatile.
Users can:
- Sniff it. Powdered cocaine can be inhaled, and it triggers reactions as soon as it hits nasal tissues.
- Smoke it. Crack forms of cocaine fit into pipes and spoons, so users can inhale the vapors.
- Rub it. Cocaine can also take hold when rubbed on gums and other mucous membranes.
Once activated, cocaine delivers a tremendous rush of dopamine. Users describe feeling invigorated, powerful, and rejuvenated all at the same time. Each hit wears off quickly, and it’s not uncommon for users to chase one hit after another to keep the high going. That causes deep brain tissue changes, and addictions can quickly follow.
While cocaine may not technically be a narcotic, it is dangerous. Legislation that keeps it out of neighborhoods may be valuable.
Is Marijuana a Narcotic?
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration classifies marijuana as a mind-shifting drug. Users who smoke, drink, or eat marijuana describe an altered state in which they may hallucinate, relax, and feel disinhibited. But marijuana is also considered a narcotic by the commission, although people are working to change that.
Researchers writing to the United Nations point out that marijuana can have medicinal properties. They suggest that it can:
- Treat pain.
- Address epilepsy and spastic muscles.
- Soothe nausea.
That means, they suggest, that this is not a substance that should be considered dangerous. And it shouldn’t, they say, be a substance officials want to keep out of the country. Instead, they think it’s a substance we should bring in.
Unfortunately, many people who use marijuana would disagree.
This substance has been associated with long-term brain changes, and some people experience a withdrawal syndrome characterized by insomnia and depression for weeks when they try to quit.
Others say they can’t even think about quitting because they don’t feel normal without the drug.
Marijuana: Mechanism of Action
The effects of marijuana stem from its primary psychoactive compound, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system. This system includes cannabinoid receptors—mainly CB1 in the brain and CB2 in the immune system—that help regulate mood, memory, pain sensation, and appetite. When someone uses cannabis, THC binds to these receptors, disrupting normal communication between brain cells. This interaction is what produces marijuana’s effects, such as euphoria, altered perception, and changes in mood and cognitive function.
Cannabis use can also impact the brain’s reward system by increasing dopamine levels, which reinforces the pleasurable sensations associated with the drug. Over time, this can lead to cannabis use disorder, where individuals may find it difficult to stop using marijuana despite negative consequences. The risk of developing this disorder increases with frequent marijuana use, higher THC content in cannabis products, and starting use at a younger age.
The federal Controlled Substances Act currently lists marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance, meaning it is considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use at the federal level. However, many states have passed laws allowing for the medical use of cannabis, and research continues to explore its potential benefits for conditions like multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, and nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. The legal landscape is evolving, with the federal government recently proposing to move marijuana to Schedule III, which could have significant legal consequences for research, medical use, and access to cannabis products.
Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug worldwide, according to the United Nations, with millions of people reporting marijuana use in the past month. In the United States, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 15% of individuals aged 12 or older reported marijuana use in the past month in 2022. Cannabis products come in many forms, including dried plant material, edibles, oils, and pill form, with THC content varying widely between products. Higher doses of THC can increase the risk of adverse effects, such as dry mouth, vomiting, difficulty concentrating, and impaired short-term memory.
Legal consequences for marijuana possession and use vary by state. Under Texas law, for example, possession of marijuana remains a criminal offense, with penalties ranging from fines to jail time depending on the amount and intent to distribute. Some Texas counties have adopted policies to reduce jail time for small amounts intended for personal use, but selling products or possessing larger quantities can still result in serious legal repercussions.
As research into cannabis and its effects continues, and as federal and state laws evolve, it’s important to stay informed about the latest developments. Whether for medical purposes or recreational use, understanding how cannabis affects the body and the legal risks involved can help individuals make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.
Treating an Addiction
Whether you’re dealing with a classic narcotic (like a painkiller) or a narcotic in name only (like marijuana), treatment options are available. Researchers have studied what people need to get better, and practitioners all across the country put those lessons to use to help their patients.
Treatment works best when it is personalized. The care you need for a marijuana addiction, for example, might be very different than the help your neighbor needs for a cocaine problem.
But treatment teams tend to offer a suite of solutions, such as:
- Individual counseling, so you can work on a one-on-one basis with an expert who helps you to understand how the issue started and what might trigger a relapse.
- Group counseling, to help you learn both from a professional and from peers who have the same problem.
- Medication management, for addiction to drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin. Drugs may help to ease withdrawal symptoms and help you focus on recovery. Medication solutions aren’t available for all drug types.
- Supportive care, to help you find the joy in life without drugs. You might enjoy yoga, art therapy, or something similar.
It can take time to work through all of these steps. And some people need to move into and out of treatment a few times before they achieve full control. Contact our admissions team to learn more about recovery.
Our admissions team is available 24/7 to listen to your story and help you get started with the next steps.
