Just a friendly heads up

[LocalRocket]

I've been reading through this section of the forum this morning, and noticed an error consistently being made. In US law, the term "narcotic" is not synonymous with any mind-altering or illegal drug. A narcotic is a drug that specifically binds to an opiate receptor. The legal term for any other potentially illegal drug is "controlled substance". Methamphetamine and marijuana are not narcotics. The exception is cocaine, which is actually a stimulant that was mistakenly classified as a narcotic by the DEA a very long time ago, and its status has never been changed. A few states also separate hallucinogenic drugs into their own category.

The other thing I noticed is that a few people are consistently labeling drug dealers and drug users as "addicts". Both medically and legally, the term "addict" is not interchangeable with "someone caught with or high on drugs". It really shouldn't be used to label people on a legal forum (unless they have acknowledged addiction themselves), and I pretty much only saw it being used inaccurately or as an insult.

Thanks!

 

[CdwJava]

The term "narcotic" has many applications and uses depending upon the context and the statute being cited. In drug terms, you are correct, a "narcotic" has a specific legal and medical use.

In CA this is foudn in H&S 11019:

11019. "Narcotic drug" means any of the following, whether produced
directly or indirectly by extraction from substances of vegetable
origin, or independently by means of chemical synthesis, or by a
combination of extraction and chemical synthesis:
(a) Opium and opiate, and any salt, compound, derivative, or
preparation of opium or opiate.
(b) Any salt, compound, isomer, or derivative, whether natural or
synthetic, of the substances referred to in subdivision (a), but not
including the isoquinoline alkaloids of opium.
(c) Opium poppy and poppy straw.
(d) Coca leaves and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation
of coca leaves, but not including decocainized coca leaves or
extractions of coca leaves which do not contain cocaine or ecgonine.
(e) Cocaine, whether natural or synthetic, or any salt, isomer,
derivative, or preparation thereof.
(f) Ecgonine, whether natural or synthetic, or any salt, isomer,
derivative, or preparation thereof.
(g) Acetylfentanyl, the thiophene analog thereof, derivatives of
either, and any salt, compound, isomer, or preparation of
acetylfentanyl or the thiophene analog thereof.​

However, in the common vernacular, the word is synonymous with most any illicit or controlled substance.

Webster's defines it in the more common usage:

Main Entry: 1nar·cot·ic
Pronunciation: \när-ˈkä-tik\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English narkotik, from Middle French narcotique, from narcotique, adjective, from Medieval Latin narcoticus, from Greek narkōtikos, from narkoun to benumb, from narkē numbness — more at snare
Date: 14th century

1 a : a drug (as opium or morphine) that in moderate doses dulls the senses, relieves pain, and induces profound sleep but in excessive doses causes stupor, coma, or convulsions b : a drug (as marijuana or LSD) subject to restriction similar to that of addictive narcotics whether physiologically addictive and narcotic or not
2 : something that soothes, relieves, or lulls​

So, unless people are erroneously claiming that something such as marijuana is CLASSIFIED as a narcotic, its use as a general term to describe controlled substances is hardly improper.

Your point is well taken, but it is a tad bit persnickety.

As for the term addict, I suspect it is used in an overly broad fashion, but this IS an opinion forum, after all. Founded for the discussion of legal issues, to be sure. But, they ARE all opinions.