(1) A substance that acts on the central nervous system, e.g., a narcotic, hallucinogen, barbiturate, or psychotropic drug; (2) A substance that kills or inactivates disease-causing infectious organisms; (3) A substance that affects the activity of a specific bodily organ or function; (4) According to the FDA, a drug is a substance “intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, or to affect the structure or function of the body.” Under this definition, high-potency preparations of vitamins A and D are classified as drugs, though other vitamins are not; antiperspirants and suntan lotions are also considered to be drugs. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the federal agency responsible for supervision and control of the manufacture and use of drugs, especially those in class (1). The term ethical drugis equivalent to prescription drug i.e., a drug sold only on a physician's prescription. See Pharmaceutical; see Appendix II for history of the industry.
