What term describes a substance that has addiction-forming liability similar to morphine or that can be converted into a drug with such liability?

What term describes a substance that has addiction-forming liability similar to morphine or that can be converted into a drug with such liability?

• A. Opiate
• B. Narcotic
• C. Stimulant
• D. Depressant

Answer: (A)

Opiates describe substances with addiction-forming liability similar to morphine or that can be converted into a drug with such liability. They are drugs derived from opium (like morphine and codeine) and include others that can be chemically transformed into morphine or other potent opioid compounds. This dual notion—direct strong addiction potential and the ability to become morphine-like—all point to opiates as the correct term. By contrast, a narcotic is a broader legal/medical category for sedative–analgesic drugs, not specifically tied to morphine-related addiction risk or convertibility, while stimulants and depressants refer to general CNS effects rather than this particular relationship to morphine.

Opiates describe substances with addiction-forming liability similar to morphine or that can be converted into a drug with such liability. They are drugs derived from opium (like morphine and codeine) and include others that can be chemically transformed into morphine or other potent opioid compounds. This dual notion—direct strong addiction potential and the ability to become morphine-like—all point to opiates as the correct term. By contrast, a narcotic is a broader legal/medical category for sedative–analgesic drugs, not specifically tied to morphine-related addiction risk or convertibility, while stimulants and depressants refer to general CNS effects rather than this particular relationship to morphine.