Drugs With Both Medical and Illicit Uses

Drug

Medical Use

Amphetamines

To treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Antianxiety and sedative drugs

To treat anxiety and insomnia

To numb surfaces of the body (as a topical anesthetic)

To provide anesthesia

Marijuana

To treat nausea due to advanced cancer, and certain types of childhood seizures

Opioids

To relieve pain and provide anesthesia