Security

Data dampens drug trade on the dark web

Taking down the drug trade with data. New research in the INFORMS journal Information Systems Research showcases the power of data and analytics in understanding how drug transactions on the dark web may be disrupted. The ...

Machine learning & AI

'Upending the world': Swiss teachers take on ChatGPT

"It is dizzying," Eric Vanoncini acknowledged to the classroom full of anxious teachers as reams of text generated by the ChatGPT bot unfurled on the large screen behind him.

Business

Hong Kong to ban CBD, label it a 'dangerous drug'

Hong Kong will ban CBD starting Wednesday, categorizing it as a "dangerous drug" and mandating harsh penalties for its smuggling, production and possession, customs authorities announced Friday.

Electronics & Semiconductors

How much faster can computers get?

A group of 10 universities led by the University of California, San Diego is undertaking a $50.5 million effort to greatly improve the speed and efficiency of computers, work that could do everything from make drug discovery ...

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Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.

In pharmacology, Dictionary.com defines a drug as "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." Drugs may be prescribed for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for chronic disorders.

Recreational drugs are chemical substances that affect the central nervous system, such as opioids or hallucinogens. They may be used for perceived beneficial effects on perception, consciousness, personality, and behavior. Some drugs can cause addiction and habituation.

Drugs are usually distinguished from endogenous biochemicals by being introduced from outside the organism.[citation needed] For example, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is called a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is called a drug.[citation needed]

Many natural substances such as beers, wines, and some mushrooms, blur the line between food and drugs, as when ingested they affect the functioning of both mind and body.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA