Learn the facts about the most commonly abused drugs. Each drug page includes a brief overview, street and clinical names, the effects of the drug on the brain and body, statistics and trends, and relevant publications and articles written by NIDA researchers and scientists.
- Alcohol
- Bath Salts (Synthetic Cathinones)
- Club Drugs
- Cocaine
- Heroin
- Inhalants
- K2/Spice (Synthetic Marijuana)
- LSD (Acid)
- Marijuana
- MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly)
- Methamphetamine
- PCP/Phencyclidine
- Prescription Drugs
- Salvia
- Steroids (Anabolic)
- Tobacco Addiction (Nicotine)
For an overview of all of these drugs, see Commonly Abused Drugs. Also see our Emerging Trends page for additional information.
Emerging Trends
Get more information on Emerging Trends, we will update this page with the latest research findings as they develop.
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Featured Publication
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction
As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior.

