Abstract
Drugs: we can find an interesting definition of this word in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English (1974): the first meaning of "drug" is a medical acceptation ("Substance used for medical purposes, either alone or in a mixture; substance that changes the state or function of cells, organs or organisms"); and precisely, in the last months articles, this meaning is more frequent than the second one ("Substance (often habit-forming) inducing sleep or producing stupor or insensibility, e g opium, cocaine"); thus, although we will admit above all the second meaning, we may also mention drugs as medicines.
Let's have a look at a juridical definition of drugs in this second meaning: "Illicit drug possession, manufacture and supply in the UK is largely legislated against by the Acts of Parliament. In the UK it is not strictly illegal to take drugs, only to unlawfully produce them, have them in your possession or pass them to someone else. Some drugs are known as controlled drugs because of their addictive nature or where they are known to cause other social harm. There are nearly two hundred named substances which fall under this category plus numerous chemical variations."
