Throughout history, it has always been easy to get booze and illegal drugs. People use all of these drugs for different reasons, including social, recreational, and healing ones. People have used both booze and opioids in the past, but they are made in different ways and affect different people in different ways. There will also be a comparison of the two substances in this piece, which will also look into these differences.
Different steps are employed to manufacture drugs and alcohol. Yeast ferments carbohydrates into ethanol during manufacturing of alcohol (Maicas, 2020). Fruits, grains, and vegetables provide most fermentation sugar. Carbs must be converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide anaerobically (Liu et al., 2020). Drugs are created in a sophisticated and varied fashion since each type of medicine requires various stages. Labs employ chemical synthesis to generate methamphetamine, but they must remove and clean plant chemicals to make cocaine and heroin.
Illegal drug production uses harmful chemicals that endangers drugmakers and the planet.
Alcohol and drugs are governed by distinct legislation to ensure safety and quality. Alcohol production is often regulated by government (Walls et al., 2020). Many countries have different alcohol age requirements. These rules prevent illegal drink production and sale. However, producing drugs, especially illegal ones is associated with other crimes. Drug manufacture and trade are strictly regulated worldwide. These rules result in heavy legal penalties for participants.
Drugs and alcohol have different societal consequences due to their production. Strong cultural traditions guide drunken drink making in many countries. Many locations still distill and make alcohol the old way. How to make alcohol acceptable varies by culture. In certain cultures, manufacturing alcohol is a significant tradition (Ashaolu & Reale, 2020). However, producing certain substances is generally considered inappropriate and unlawful. This contributes to the drug legalization and control debate.
Chemical composition also defines alcohol and drugs in different ways. Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen make up alcohol, especially ethanol (Iliev, 2021). It is quickly broken down in the liver, first into acetaldehyde and subsequently into acetate, due to its molecular shape. Many substances are in medicines. These substances can be plant alkaloids or lab-made chemicals. Heroin, for instance, has a complex molecular structure from morphine. However, synthetic cannabinoids are chemical compounds that mimic cannabis’ natural cannabinoid properties. Due to their various ingredients, drugs have a wide range of impacts on the body.
How they react with medications is another difference between alcohol and drugs. Alcohol calms and sedates the central nervous system and increases GABA effects (Georgetown Behavioral Hospital, 2021). It also blocks glutamate, another neurotransmitter, making it depressant. Depending on their structure, medications can influence multiple neurotransmitter systems. High dopamine levels from coke and amphetamines boost energy and happiness. Opioids, however, attach to brain receptors, reducing pain and relaxing you. The body breaks down alcohol and drugs differently. Alcohol is mostly broken down by the liver. This is done by alcohol and acetaldehyde dehydrogenases. Depending on their chemical structure, drugs undergo distinct metabolic reactions. Some drugs are broken down in the liver while others are eliminated by the kidneys.
The duration of effects and drug buildup vary due to metabolic routes. Both alcohol and narcotics have short-lived impacts. Short-term impacts of alcohol include slurred speech, balance loss, and unwise decisions (Galbicsek, 2023). These effects are temporary. However, drugs can rapidly alter your life. Opioids make you sleepy and happy, while stimulants like cocaine boost energy and awareness. Hallucinogens can alter perception and emotion. Drugs and alcohol also cause long-term discomfort. Long-term alcohol use can cause liver cirrhosis, heart disease, and nervous system damage. Extended drug use might have varying impacts depending on the drug. Long-term opioid use can induce respiratory issues and physical dependence. Long-term drug use can cause heart and mental health difficulties.
Consumption of alcoholic beverages and illicit drugs has a detrimental effect not just on the economy but also on society as a whole. In addition to covering the costs of medical care and time away from work, the money that is donated will also compensate the repercussions on society that are created by accidents and violence that are caused by drinking. The use of illegal drugs is contributing to the worsening of conditions in the criminal justice system as well as the economy (Cohen et al., 2022). As a consequence of this, there is an increase in the number of crimes that involve drugs, which results in increased financial burdens for the criminal justice system and places a pressure on the health care services.
Drugs and alcohol are created differently and have different effects, but they are also quite similar. This emphasizes the need to understand both substances. Even while alcohol and narcotics have been part of human civilizations for a long time and are used for amusement, therapy, and culture, they are different and have different consequences. Researchers have discovered how alcohol and narcotics are created, what compounds are in them, and how they influence the body and mind (Walls et al., 2020). This showed us how difficult drug and alcohol use is. To design effective public health policies, prevention measures, and intervention programs that address each substance’s distinct issues, these variances and similarities must be properly understood.
References
Ashaolu, T. J., & Reale, A. (2020). A Holistic Review on Euro-Asian Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermented Cereals and Vegetables. Microorganisms, 8(8), 1176. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8081176
Cohen, A., Vakharia, S. P., Netherland, J., & Frederique, K. (2022). How the war on drugs impacts social determinants of health beyond the criminal legal system. Annals of Medicine, 54(1), 2024–2038. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2022.2100926
Galbicsek, C. (2023, March 16). Effects of Alcohol – Short and Long-Term Effects. Alcohol Rehab Guide. https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/alcohol/effects/
Georgetown Behavioral Hospital. (2021, May 6). GABA and alcohol: How drinking leads to anxiety | georgetown behavioral. Georgetown Behavioral Hospital. https://www.gbhoh.com/gaba-and-alcohol-how-drinking-leads-to-anxiety/
Iliev, S. (2021). A Comparison of Ethanol, Methanol, and Butanol Blending with Gasoline and Its Effect on Engine Performance and Emissions Using Engine Simulation. Processes, 9(8), 1322. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9081322
Liu, C., Wang, W., O-Thong, S., Yang, Z., Zhang, S., Liu, G., & Luo, G. (2020). Microbial insights of enhanced anaerobic conversion of syngas into volatile fatty acids by co-fermentation with carbohydrate-rich synthetic wastewater. Biotechnology for Biofuels, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-020-01694-z
Maicas, S. (2020). The Role of Yeasts in Fermentation Processes. Microorganisms, 8(8). PubMed Central. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8081142
Smith, M. A. (2021). Social learning and addiction. Behavioural Brain Research, 398(1), 112954. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112954
Walls, H., Cook, S., Matzopoulos, R., & London, L. (2020). Advancing alcohol research in low-income and middle-income countries: a global alcohol environment framework. BMJ Global Health, 5(4), e001958. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2019-001958
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