Narcotics are drugs with morphine-like effects that in moderate doses relieves pain and induces deep sleep. Examples of narcotics include morphine, laudanum, and heroin, as well as Oxycontin and a variety of other pharmaceuticals.
A looser usage of the word "narcotic" to refer to any illegal or unlawfully possessed drug including marijuana and cocaine is common worldwide, although these substances are not considered narcotics in a medical or scientific context. In a U.S. legal context, the term "narcotic" specifically refers to opium, opium derivatives, and their semi-synthetic or fully synthetic substitutes, as well as cocaine and coca leaves. Because the term is often used so broadly or pejoratively outside of medical contexts, most medical professionals advocate the use of more precise terms such as "opioids".
Jack Shafer, in an article posted to Slate today, takes apart the San Francisco Chronicle for running a story hyping the 'Pharma Party' myth. The myth is that teens around the country are swiping drugs from their parents, taking them to parties, putting everything in a bowl, and then comsuming random pills out of the bowl, sometimes by the handful calling them 'trail mix'. As Jack states:
