The fact that various drug types have diverse effects on people has long been studied by doctors. Drugs can still be grouped or categorised based on common symptomatologies or side effects. These established, widely acknowledged medical facts serve as the foundation for the DRE categorization procedure.
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, CNS stimulants, hallucinogens, dissociative anesthetics, narcotic analgesics, inhalants, and cannabis are the seven groups of drugs that DREs categorize. Each of these classes of drugs has the potential to impact a person’s central nervous system and impair their normal faculties, including their capacity to drive safely.
CNS depressants slow down bodily and mental processes. Alcohol, barbiturates, anti-anxiety tranquilizers (such as Valium, Librium, Xanax, Prozac, and Thorazine), GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate), Rohypnol, and numerous more anti-depressants are examples of CNS depressants (e.g., Zoloft, Paxil).
CNS stimulants cause the body to “speed up,” or become overstimulated, by raising blood pressure, heart rate, and blood pressure. Cocaine, “crack” cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamine are some types of CNS stimulants (“crank”).
Marijuana is known scientifically as cannabis. THC, or delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive component in marijuana. Cannabinoids and synthetic substances like Dronabinol fall under this group.