SWOT Analysis Technique and Example

Sample SWOT Analysis: Haier Group SWOT Analysis is one of the basic business-planning techniques that allows creating a business portrait of a certain company and its activities. The template for SWOT analysis is fairly simple – S stands for Strengths, W for Weaknesses, O for Opportunities and T for Threats. Basically, in any business book, you will read that SWOT analysis can be the most useful in dealing with large corporations that either wish to go international or expand their share on the market. There are various examples of this technique online suggesting that usually creating a SWOT matrix is the first step in building a solid business plan or strategy. To properly understand the implication of SWOT analysis it is necessary to have relevant examples. The best option is to analyze a certain company. Chinese appliance brand Haier is a good one to choose since despite being an internationally recognized brand it still exists in the highly competitive business environment and has a lot of potential for expansion. Creating a SWOT analysis should give an insight into Haier’s current business model and possible development strategies for the future. Haier was founded in 1984 in Qingdao, China, as an appliance company that mostly produced refrigerators. It later grew into an international appliance conglomerate with consolidated production and ever-growing global distribution network. As of now, Haier remains prominent in its home market in China and aspires to furthermore increase its brand recognition around the globe. A detailed SWOT analysis starts with Strengths. Haier’s position is very strong in the domestic market – it is one of the most prominent appliance companies in China that has customers’ trust and recognition. Haier has an impeccable reputation in China because of its customer service and excellent quality. Initially, Haier’s brand strategy involved a high level of quality control. They wanted to step away from the stereotype of Chinese products being of poor quality and initiated the â€Å"quality over quantity† system for their own brand. Later it has allowed them to expand and diversify, producing not only refrigerators but other kinds of products as well. Thanks to their solid reputation that allowed Haier to have a steady income, they were able to invest in research and development. That allowed them to introduce some innovations and to expand into the international market as well. This quality-based and steady approach is one of the main Streng ths of Haier since it allows them to always rely on their domestic market in case of a failure in one of the foreign markets. On the other hand, Haier’s Weaknesses first and foremost include limited brand recognition. Even though Haier is relatively well-known in China and Asia, it has no brand reputation on the Western markets. Haier is used to doing â€Å"by the book† and not trying to adjust their approach to the western realities. Ineffective marketing and advertising have resulted in Haier getting negative attention from the Western media and their general inability to build an appealing brand image. Western companies had more experience in working with brand image (including their online presence) and invest more money in marketing while Chinese companies usually focus more on production. It has created an informational inadequacy that surrounds Haier: western customers are inclined to believe the stereotypes about Chinese products like a lack of quality. The problem is the company is not doing enough to undermine that image. What we can also see thanks to the SWOT matrix, Haier has no l uxury segment to its products and therefore is unable to be competitive in the high-end segment. Opportunities for Haier all rely on their ability to follow global trends in production. Companies are becoming more and more socially aware and vulnerable to external pressure from various stakeholders (e.g., international organizations, media, etc.). The trend for social awareness presents numerous opportunities – going green and producing eco-friendly appliances, aiming at rural markets and opening a new line of high-priced but more â€Å"clean† products with all the production stages becoming transparent. It would allow concerned stakeholders to track the production cycle and account for the absence of unfair labor conditions and other violations. This, in turn, will positively affect the brand image as well. On the contrary, one of the main Threats concerns the solid image that Haier has for itself in their domestic market as well. Being this huge and traditional company that comes from a country where business is heavily affected by the government might complicate introducing innovation. Of course, it gives their competitors a head start. Growing competition and Haier’s inability to quickly adapt might undermine their growth perspectives more than any brand image issues they have as of now. They need a new template of a successful business strategy to follow. Below, all facets of Haier SWOT analysis are represented in a table view: STRENGTHS Strong position in the domestic market High quality of products Broad production facilities WEAKNESSES Poor brand reputation Unfair labor conditions OPPORTUNITIES Entering new markets Introduction of new products THREATS The dependence on the government Complicated introduction of innovations All in all, SWOT analysis for Haier demonstrates how a general outline of the company’s business model and the external situation might be used for developing a solid business strategy in the future.

The Pregnancy Of The United States - 928 Words

Abortions in the United States Many of us have heard of abortions, but do we truly know what an abortion really is? We know that when a woman has an abortion she basically extracts the fetus by any means but I’m sure a lot of us don’t know the different procedures to do such act. There are different methods to end a pregnancy based on the gestation time. One of the methods is to take a pill named RU486 which causes the baby to starve as the pill causes the nutrients to be blocked and soon after the baby is taken out. This usually happens during the first weeks of pregnancy. Another option used is DC (Dilation and Curettage) in which the baby is teared apart and after is suctioned along with the placenta and other liquids. A third method used to abort babies that are as far as twenty-four weeks is D E (Dilation and Evacuation) which is similar to DC, but since the fetus is bigger, they must cut the baby in parts and pulled out one at a time. Those are all ways in which women have been killing innocen t human beings after abortions became legal in the United States on 1973. Affecting society drastically as people slowly started losing family values and the love for human life. Many women did not care about getting married and building families. Men that actually want to raise their kids have no saying in what the woman decides to do with the pregnancy. Nowadays, men won’t even know if their partner went and did an abortion. After the legalization of this horrified act,Show MoreRelatedTeen Pregnancy And The United States1414 Words   |  6 PagesTeen Parenting in the United States Raising a child as an adult can be very demanding at times, but can you imagine how difficult it would be to raise a baby as a teen, when you are still a child yourself? Although the teen birth rate in the United States has been on a decline for the past decade, teen pregnancy is still a significant issue affecting many people (Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing). Teen pregnancy has been considered morally and ethically wrong in the United States for centuries (Sprague)Read MoreTeen Pregnancy in the United States1201 Words   |  5 PagesTeen pregnancy is more prevalent in the United States, than one would think. Even though the number of pregnancies has lowered, there are still an estimated 31pregnancies per 1000 teens. Unfortunately, there are immense consequences from teen pregnancy. These occurrences are due to many circumstances that can be changed, such as, more education, peer pressure, and today’s culture. However, there are ways to prevent all this from happening; usin g contraception, being aware, or even abstaining fromRead MoreThe Pregnancy And Its Effects On The United States1511 Words   |  7 PagesBreeched pregnancies are something that 13 percent of women in the United States have to deal with. There is not always something that can be done about the breeched pregnancy, and sometimes they baby is just more content that way. It can be a long difficult process deciding what is best for the baby, but there are a lot of options that you can choose from so that you and your baby get the best treatment possible. However, there is a lot of research, stories, and studies about breeched pregnancy thatRead MoreTeen Pregnancy And The United States2027 Words   |  9 Pagesaddressed is teen pregnancy rates in the United States. We can measure this problem by giving statistics on teen pregnancy related information and by describing the magnitude of the problem. Teen pregnancy exists everywhere in the world but the main focus of this policy memo is going to be that of the United States. Define and Analyze the Problem affected individuals. Teen mothers, their babies, the father, parents of the teen mother and father, and everyone in the United States to be exact areRead MoreTeen Pregnancy : The United States1939 Words   |  8 PagesTEEN PREGNANCY Section One: â€Å"Why?† The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Teen pregnancy costs the United States at least $7 billion annually. Family First Aid has stated that â€Å"thirty-four percent of young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20 — about 820,000 a year. Eight in ten of these teen pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent are to unmarried teens.† You may ask why so many teens are pregnantRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Effects On The United States951 Words   |  4 PagesTeenage pregnancy has become an identified social problem and the focus of much concern. The United States has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the fully industrialized world. While the rates have been declining in the last fifteen years, it remains a source of concern that, nearly thirty-four percent of teenage girls in the United States are becoming pregnant at least once before the age of twenty. The teenage pregnancy in the United States rate is ten times that of Japan, four times thoseRead MoreTeen Pregnancy And Its Effects On The United States1667 Words   |  7 PagesEach year around 90,000 adolescents become pregnant in the United States. Around 51% of adolescents pregnancies end in live births, 35% end up in induced abortions, and 14% result in miscarriage or stillbirth (Frick, 2007). Historically, the highest teen pregnancy rates in the United Sta tes were during the 1950’s and 1960’s before the legalization of abortion and the development of many the current forms of contraception(Frick, 2007). Rates enlarged steadily until 1991; since then, the birth rateRead MoreThe Effects Of Teen Pregnancy On The United States2305 Words   |  10 PagesTeen Pregnancy and the Link to Poverty in the U.S. with A Focus on Western Ma Especially Holyoke and Springfield Mass In the 1950s, the frequency of teenage births in the United States was already high, and since that, time has decreased, although the number of births outside marriage has increased. Thus, in 1990 the rate was 61.8 births, pregnancy rate - 116.9 per 1,000. The incidence of teenage pregnancy has decreased significantly in the 1990s. This decline is observed in all racial groups, butRead MoreTeen Pregnancy Costs The United States1577 Words   |  7 Pages Section One: â€Å"Why?† The United States has the highest rates of teen pregnancy and births in the western industrialized world. Teen pregnancy costs the United States at least $7 billion annually. Family First Aid has stated that â€Å"thirty-four percent of young women become pregnant at least once before they reach the age of 20 — about 820,000 a year. Eight in ten of these teen pregnancies are unintended and 79 percent are to unmarried teens.† You may ask why so many teens are pregnant. It may be becauseRead MoreTeenage Pregnancy Rates And The United States3104 Words   |  13 PagesEven though teenage pregnancy rates have decreased in the U.S. in recent years, the rates are far behind European countries. Studies have shown that U.S. teenagers have (a) high rates of sexual intercourse at a younger age, (b) high rates of sex without contraceptives, (c) high rates of pregnancy, (d) and high number of multiple sex partners in comparison to European countries like Sweden, France, Netherland (Bell, 2009). One of the main reasons for high rates of teenage pregnancy in the U.S. is the

Waffle Business-Plan free essay sample

We are presenting you a whole new product, unknown in the States, at least not in the form we offer it. Right now you may think that this is going to be the same as millions of other products but what if we tell you that with a very small investment, you can make hundreds of thousands of dollars? Not possible? Well, take a few moments to go through the next pages and we assure you that at the end, you’ll be convinced! . The Product We would like to introduce you to the Sweet Belgian Waffle. For almost a 1000 years, the sweet Belgian waffle is a success. It got it’s contemporary form in AD 1200 when a smith invented a new baking tin. Because his new form looked like a honeycomb, he called it â€Å"wafel† (= waffle) because â€Å"waffle† in French meant â€Å"honeycomb†. Now, 800 years later, they’re sold in numerous outlets all over the world, from Europe over Asia to South America. And when you think about it, that’s not even so surprising†¦ 2. 1 Brand Name The waffles are called Sweet Belgian Waffle because, in contrast to the Belgian waffles everybody knows, they contain sugar. The Belgian waffles are in fact Brussels waffles and the Sweet Belgian Waffles are the Liege waffles which is a total different thing. In America the Brussels waffles are served as breakfast together with eggs, bacon or sweets like strawberries, whipped cream†¦ The Sweet Belgian Waffle however is served on its own, possibly with toppings but nothing else. So, because it’s a Belgian Waffle but made with pearl sugar, we call this the Sweet Belgian Waffle. . 2 Styling The size of a Sweet Belgian Waffle is 6 x 4 ? inches and it’s approximately 1. 3 inches thick and it weighs approximately 5 oz. A Sweet Belgian Waffle can be distinguished from a Belgian waffle by the number of holes, namely 24. It has a firm structure but because the dough is light it’s easy to eat. The firm structure is perfect to allow it to be served with toppings going from ice cream to chocolate to whipped cream,†¦ 3 2. 3 Quality The quality of both the iron and the dough is very high. The dough mix is directly imported from Belgium where it is made conform a long tradition of inheritance from father to son for over 60 years. It has a shelf life of 14 months and it is transported in the best possible conditions to ensure that the product arrives here as it would have been made here. Because the waffles are being made on the spot, the timeframe between making the dough and baking the waffles is very little. However, it is possible that you make the dough, bake the waffles in advance and heat them up later on, especially when you still had some dough at the end of the previous day, but this doesn’t cause any problems. After heating the waffle up for 30 seconds, it is ready to be served and will taste as fresh as it would have been made on the spot. The waffle irons are handmade in Belgium. They’re pure craftsmanship. We have two versions, the â€Å"A57† which is a 4 waffle iron and the â€Å"L26† which is a 2 waffle iron. Our waffle irons are patented and are conform to the rules of the National Sanitation Foundation. The irons are made from cast iron, in contrast to the machines in the USA which are made from aluminium. The advantage of cast iron is that it contains the heat and as a result, the waffles are baked. Aluminium however loses heat so after the first couple of waffles they aren’t baked anymore but more boiled which gives them a lesser nice taste. The heating of our irons is transported through a copper plate which has the advantage that the heating is spread equally over the whole baking plate so the waffles are equally heated and browned 2. 4 Safety Whenever you’re dealing with hot products, there is a possibility that someone hurts him- / herself. However, as mentioned before, our waffle irons are conform to the NSF regulation which means that they have been approved and recognized as safe for the American market. The critical parts of the iron are covered in Bakelite which is a nonconductive and heat-resistant material and therefore, irrespective of the temperature of the iron, it won’t heat up. 4 Of course, people can’t be cautious enough so, with every iron, we provide insulated gloves and in the manual we included a non exhaustive list of the dangers. On top of the NSF regulation, our electric components carry the UL certification mark for the US. This means that the UL, â€Å"Underwriters Laboratory†, has tested it and that it meets their requirements for safety. . 5 Packaging The waffle irons are transported in wooden boxes. The dough is packed up in different materials to assure that they are transported in the best possible way. 2. 6 Warranty Because we know our irons are from the best material we offer a 20 year warranty on the baking plates. The electric components have a one year guarantee. 2. 7 Maintenance The maintenance of the irons is very easy. The only thi ng that has to be done is clean it every day after the waffles are made. This takes only 15 min and is easy as pie. The cleaning ensures that the waffles keep their high level of quality so it is absolutely imperative that the cleaning is done properly. 2. 8 Accessories and services We have manuals available of†¦. Of course, we provide you with information going from setting up the iron to baking the waffles to what to do when there’s a problem. If you have any questions concerning the product, don’t hesitate to contact us, RH-International. RH-International 2 Eagle Nest Lane Long Valley, NJ 07853 Tel. 908 684 1998, Fax. 908 684 1112 e-mail: [emailprotected] com Web: www. rh99-international. com 5 3. Market – Analysis The market is fairly new. There exist Belgian Waffles but they are served with eggs, bacon,†¦ as breakfast. The Sweet Belgian Waffle however can be served at any time and you don’t have to sit down to eat it, you can easily walk around with it. Because the Sweet Belgian Waffle is totally new in America, the possibilities to exploit the market are countless. You don’t have to segment to a niche market, you can do whatever you think is best. At the moment there is no substitute, so when the customer wants to eat a Sweet Belgian Waffle, they have only one place to go to, yours. . SWOT – Analysis 4. 1 Waffles Strengths delicious simple huge profit great aroma can be sold 24/7 no â€Å"waste† everywhere where there are a lot of people, it’ll be a success toppings Opportunities increase in sales in combination with other products like ice cream, toppings,†¦ Threats Weaknesses 6 4. 2 Dough mix Strengths fresh e asy to prepare can be done in advance great aroma no â€Å"waste† firm, easy to use made conform a long inheritance from father to son for over 60 years Opportunities Threats Weaknesses 4. 3 Waffle Iron Strengths patented conform NSF UL certification mark for electric components cast iron 20 year warranty on baking plates one year warranty on electric components Opportunities Threats Weaknesses You may think we’re vain and unrealistic when we’re not listing any weaknesses or threats but it’s just because we didn’t find any. 7 5. Numbers The irons are the tools for making the waffles which are the real money-makers. This makes that the initial investment is very low, $2. 300 for the 2 waffle iron, $3. 300 for the 4 waffle iron. The biggest investment is finding the good location. Every location where lots of people are passing by is good. The more people that pass by the better because 10% will buy a waffle. A. Making the dough yourself 5. 1 L26 (2 waffle iron) Store # waffles Day 10h 12h Week (7 days) 10h 12h Month (4 weeks) 10h 12h Year (12 months) 10h 12h 67. 200 80. 640 $292. 320 $350. 784 $57. 120 $68. 544 $235. 200,00 $282. 240,00 5. 600 6. 720 $24. 360 $29. 232 $4. 760 $5. 712 $19. 600,00 $23. 520,00 1. 400 1. 680 $6. 090 $7. 308 $1. 190 $1. 428 $4. 900,00 $5. 880,00 200 240 $870 $1. 044 $170 $204 $700,00 $840,00 Revenue* Expenditures Profit Suggested retail price: $3. 75 / waffle + $0. 75 / topping Calculation: 8/10 takes topping * Baking 2 waffles takes 3 minutes, handling included Note: from the final profit calculation you have to deduct the initial investment for the waffle iron, the rent and the taxes. This calculation gives you an idea about the profits investing in a 2 waffle iron can yield. 8 B. Ready-made waffles We have a new proposal made f or you: when you take our ready-made waffles, you only need to heat them up for 20 seconds and you don’t need as much place as you would when you want to bake them yourself. Plus, when you have a line of 20 people and want to bake the waffles yourself, they have to wait half an hour!!! If you use our ready-made waffles, they only have to wait 20 seconds. Of course, that is with one 2 waffle iron, if you have two irons, that halves the time and you can serve up to 12 waffles a minute. 5. 2 L26 (2 waffle iron) Store # waffles Day 10h 12h Week (7 days) 10h 12h Month (4 weeks) 10h 12h Year (12 months) 10h 12h 67. 200 80. 640 $292. 320 $350. 784 $84. 000 $100. 800 $208. 320,00 $249. 984,00 5. 600 6. 720 $24. 360 $29. 232 $7. 000 $8. 400 $17. 60,00 $20. 832,00 1. 400 1. 680 $6. 090 $7. 308 $1. 750 $2. 100 $4. 340,00 $5. 208,00 200 240 $870 $1. 044 $250 $300 $620,00 $744,00 Revenue* Expenditures Profit Note: the only thing you have to do is heat the waffle up in the iron for 20 seconds 9 (2 waffle iron) Fair # waffles Day 10h 12h Week 10h 12h 10 days 10h 12h 12. 000 14. 400 $52. 200 $62. 640 $15. 000 $18. 000 $37. 200 $44. 640 8400 10. 080 $36. 540 $43. 848 $10 . 500 $12. 600 $26. 040 $31. 248 1200 1440 $5220 $6264 $1500 $1800 $3720 $4664 Revenue Expenditures Profit * Suggested retail price: $3. 75 / waffle + $0. 5 / topping Calculation: 8/10 takes topping * Heating up takes 20 seconds Note: From the final profit calculation you have to deduct the rent for your location and the cost of your stand. This calculation is based on ready-made waffles only. 10 Mall / train station / †¦ Each shopping mall has different numbers of visitors a day, week,†¦ Also, each shopping mall has a different rent. In the next calculation we left out the rent. We think that 250 waffles a day is realistic. In the Palisades mall, the three women sell 300 waffles a day from Monday till Thursday and 1200 a day from Friday till Sunday. For the time from Friday till Sunday we think that 1000 waffles a day isn’t exaggerated, of course it depends on how busy the mall is, how many people pass by. Monday Thursday 1* Day 12h 300 $1. 305 $375 1. 000 2* 3* 1 Friday Sunday 2 3 $4. 350 $1. 250 Week 12h Month 12h Year 12h 57. 600 $250. 560 $72. 000 144. 000 $626. 400 $180. 000 4. 800 $20. 880 $6. 000 12. 000 $52. 200 $15. 000 1. 200 $5. 220 $1. 500 3. 000 $13. 050 $3. 750 *1 = # waffles 2 = revenue 3 = expenditures 11 Total 1 Day 600 2 $2. 610 3 $750 Profit 2–3 $1. 860 Week 4. 200 $18. 270 $5. 250 $13. 020 Month 16. 800

Psychoactive Drugs Essay Example

Psychoactive Drugs Essay Psychoactive Drugs are chemical substances that alter behavior, mood, perception, or mental functioning. Through the consumption of substances many cultures have found ways to alter consciousness. Psychoactive substances apply their effects by transforming biochemical or physiological processes in the brain. The message system of nerve cells, or neurons, relies on both electrical and chemical transmission. Neurons rarely touch each other; there is a microscopic gap between one neuron and the next, called the synapse. When a neuron fires, it releases chemicals called neurotransmitters into the synapse. Psychoactive drugs act by altering neurotransmitter function, they bind to the site of the firing neuron and inhibit this process so the neurotransmitters remain in the synapse, where they extend and increase the normal effect. The drugs can be separated into six key pharmacological classes based on their desired behavioral or psychological effect: alcohol, sedative-hypnotics, hallucinogens, narcotic analgesics, stimulant-euphoriants, and psychotropic drugs. The most used psychoactive substance is alcohol, which is also the only psychoactive drug legally available without a prescription in most countries. Enjoyable relaxation is often the ideal effect from alcohol consumption, but intoxication weakens judgment and motor performance, as well as brings on a feeling of exhilaration, and exaltation followed by sleep. Alcohol is a stimulant at first but after more is consumed it becomes a depressant. Alcohol is addictive. Continual use of alcohol can lead to disease known as alcoholism. We will write a custom essay sample on Psychoactive Drugs specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Psychoactive Drugs specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Psychoactive Drugs specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Alcoholism can be classified as a chronic illness, psycho, somatic, or psychosomatic. It manifests itself as disorder of behavior. When consumed continually, alcohol consumption can be extremely harmful to the liver and brain cells, as well as physiologically addicting, generating hazardous withdrawal symptoms. It is possible to overdose from alcohol. Alcohol increases danger when taken with other types of drugs. Sedative-hypnotics, such as diazepam, amytat or barbiturates, more commonly known as the brand ‘Valium’, are all types of brain depressants. To assist people in sleeping, doctors often prescribe sedative-hypnotics. They can also be prescribed to calm people without causing sleep, because some may contain anti-anxiety agents. Sedative-Hypnotics are also used illegally to create relaxation, tranquility and euphoria. Overdoses of such drugs can prove to be fatal; they may also be physiologically addicting and may produce life threatening withdrawal symptoms. Barbiturates are extremely dangerous if injected and highly addictive. If they are taken to help a person sleep for a few nights in a row then after the person stops taking them it will have become impossible to sleep without them. Barbiturates create tolerance. The withdraw symptoms can be very painful to the user. A person who is withdrawn from barbiturates craves for them, they feel discomfort, and cannot sleep. In some situations withdrawal can cause major epileptic seizures, which makes it possible to die from barbiturate withdrawal. Barbiturates should only be used under doctor supervision. They aren’t pleasant or enjoyable since they lack euphoric content and the social lubrication that is produced by alcohol consumption. They create a dark, blank oblivion, because of this they are usually taken by people who hate him or herself or life. Hallucinogens or psychedelic drugs as they are sometimes referred to, or more commonly known as marijuana (which is a very weak hallucinogen), LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), mescaline, or PCP’s (Phencyclidine), have little medical use. These drugs are taken illegally to alter perception and thinking patterns. Hallucinogens all have the same risks that a person faces when choosing to take a form of hallucinogen. Those risks are increased heart rate and blood pressure, sleeplessness and tremors, lack of muscular coordination, sparse, mangled and incoherent speech, as well as convulsions, comas, and heart and lung failure, decreased awareness of touch and pain that can result in self- inflected wounds. People who take these drugs are also faced who psychological effects such as a sense of distance and estrangement, depression, anxiety, and paranoia, violent behavior, confusion, suspicion, and loss of control, plus flashbacks, and behavior similar to schizophrenic psychosis, in addition to catatonic syndrome which is when a user becomes mute, lethargic, disoriented or makes meaningless repetitive movements. When taken in low quantities, marijuana, which is scientifically known as cannabis, becomes a depressant drug, which slows down the body’s systems. In the early 19th century the use of ‘dope’ spread to Europe from the Middle East and China, and by the middle of the century onto America. In 1937, cannabis was made illegal to possess and sell in the U. S. it has still being used as a popular recreational substance by some people. However, in some places it is still legal to smoke marijuana for medical purposes, because it suppresses nausea caused by chemotherapy, and possibly reduces eye pressure in severe cases of glaucoma. Pupils may become dilated, heart rate and blood pressure may increase, or a sense of well-being and relaxation all can occur, there are many more side effects that may transpire if LSD is taken. Morphine is the most effective painkiller. Morphine is what is left in the unripe seedpods of the opium poppy after the milky juice has been extracted. Morphine doesn’t diminish pain but changes the way a person perceives it, because of this morphine has become one of the most valuable drugs in medicine. Morphine is addictive and it creates a tolerance so that a person who takes morphine needs to take more every time to reach the same relief. This drug can cause death because it depresses the function in the brain that controls breathing and so a person taking high doses of morphine can go into respiratory arrest. Codeine is an alkaloid drug that is derived from opium. Codeine is often prescribed as an analgesic, cough suppressant or a hypnotic, because it has effects similar to morphine. Heroin is the most dangerous and expensive narcotic analgesic. The greatest risk from injection of heroin is death from overdose. In one year in the US 1% of all heroin addicts will die despite having a high tolerance for heroin in their system. Tolerance to heroin can change from day to day; studies are being done to see if it is because of change of environment. Heroin gives the user a much more euphoric experience than any other opiate, but has fewer side effects. There are several different forms of heroin. Pharmaceutical heroin was illegally available in the 1960’s as a white powder this form was obtained from pharmacy and hospital thefts, or in ‘Jacks’ a 10mg tablet made specifically for injection. Today the most seen form of pharmaceutical heroin is dry amp, which is injectable and can be bought in 10mg, 60mg, and 100mg. This drug is often referred to as the ‘holy grail for opiate users’. Far eastern heroin came to America after laws changed and heroin became illegal. It became very hard for addicts to get heroin so they turned to the black market where the Chinese met the demand for heroin. This type of heroin came in two different brands: Pink Elephant and Tiger Rice Brand. Amphetamine is structurally related to ephedrine and adrenaline. Amphetamine is a cheap and synthetic alternate to ephedra. It is commonly used to dilate the small bronchial sacs in lungs. These drugs are prescribed for depression, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, travel-sickness, night-blindness, and obesity, narcolepsy, impotency, hyperactivity in children, and boredom in seniors. When used amphetamines release excitatory neurotransmitters, dopamine, and noradrenaline, from where it is stored in the central nervous system. Amphetamines can be sniffed, swallowed, snorted or injected. It induces exhilarating feelings of power, strength; energy, self-assertion, focus, and enhanced motion, the need to sleep and eat disappear. When the dopamine is released, it induces a sense of euphoria, which unlike cocaine, can last for many hours. Since the body does not readily break down amphetamines, feelings are intensified. After the euphoria ends, then the user feels intense depression and fatigue. Speed is one form of amphetamine that is commonly linked with violent and anti-social behavior. When used in small doses and infrequently it has relatively no harmful effect on the body, but when used heavily in chronic doses it can lead violent behavior, depressive disorders and â€Å"meth bugs†. Speed is a cocaine-induced formication and has a strain on the cardiovascular system which causes increased behavioral disintegration and outright â€Å"amphetamine psychosis†. A common drug that is mainly associated with the rave and nightclub scene is Ecstasy, it is actually called MDMA. Ecstasy or ‘E’ is a psychedelic amphetamine, which produces strong feelings of comfort, empathy, and connection to others. It is often bought in tablets and taken orally but can also be crushed into a powder and snorted. Sometimes ‘E’ is used in therapy to get the patient to open up since the therapist will no longer seem like a doctor but more like a loved one. Methamphetamine is very addictive and creates tolerance. When used, they create a feeling of extreme elation, wakefulness, alertness, enhanced self-confidence, aggression, talkativeness, loss of appetite, increased initiative, and an increase in physical activities, which is followed by prolonged depression and fatigue. When bought on the street it is an odorless white or off-white bitter powder, or else in pills, capsules, or large crystals. It is frequently snorted, but can be swallowed, smoked or injected. When it is smoked the effects can be prolonged for up to twenty-four hours. When it is smoked in it’s base form methamphetamines are generally called snot because of the resemblance between the drug and the mucus from a nose. Withdrawal creates severe cravings, deep depression, fatigue, apathy, paranoia, and psychosis. A form of Methamphetamine is Ice or Crystal Meth, which is crystallized methamphetamine hydrochloride, is a powerful stimulant. The clear, crystallized chunks dissolve in water and breaks down to smaller particles. This drug induces a profound sense of euphoria in users by blocking the reuptake in the brain and stimulating the release of dopamine and noradrenaline in the central nervous system. It is frequently labeled the ‘Power Drug’. Cocaine came into common use after a German doctor issued it to Bavarian Soldiers in 1883. Cocaine is a naturally derived central nervous system stimulant that is extracted and refined from the coca plant, which is grown primarily in the Andean region of South America. It is a whitish powder, which is bitter and numbing to taste. It is often snorted but can also be injected or swallowed. Since it burns instead of vaporizing it cannot be smoked but a derivative was produced called crack, which is used for smoking. Removing a hydrochloride from cocaine makes crack. Both cocaine and crack are highly addictive and creates tolerance. Cocaine and crack use during pregnancy can cause major problems including birth defects and stillbirths. Cocaine or crack can be passed to the baby through breastfeeding. Psychoactive drugs are both helpful and harmful and by categorizing them it is possible to tell which part of the brain they stimulate. The search for euphoria is not that abnormal. Our bodies hold us back and it is human nature to want to get around this. Naturally some people are drawn in by the appeal of drugs. These wishes are not naive and they are not essentially evil. Perhaps before attempting to experiment with drugs it is important to first understand them. Drugs do not give us any new sensations; they only intensify existing sensations by manipulating pre-existing brain structures.