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Legal drug trade, as with othergoods object ofcommerce, in opposition tosmuggling orillegal drug trade, mostpsychotropic substances' commerce is undercontrol andtaxation by worldgovernments, regardless of the relative perceiveddanger of the goods that are the object of legislation.[1][2]Legal commerce in drugs can be categorized according to the purpose of consumption (therapeutic vs recreational), type of drug involved andphase of the tradingprocess, i.e.:production,distribution orconsumption.
Drugs useful for treating diseases are the object ofpharmaceuticalresearch andmedical practice, and produced by thepharmaceutical industry, which in theory should be[according to whom?] aboveUnited Nations legislation prohibiting use or sole possession of the drugs termed illegal for other purposes.[3]
Pharmaceutical companies, through authorizeddealers, guarantee the distribution of their products to their customers.Since antiquity, there have been stores specialized in drug selling. Today, they are calledpharmacies or, straightforwardly, drugstores. Certain drugs officially considered trade-able without medical supervision are also sold in non-specialized stores, such assupermarkets.
Therapeutic drug consumption can take place in anoutpatient setting, or duringhospitalization.
Alcoholic beverages, containing psychoactiveethyl alcohol, are produced legally throughout the world. Their production supports a commercialalcohol industry. Consumption of alcohol is subject to regulation in most countries, namely by means ofage restrictions.
Tobacco, arecreational drug containingnicotine, is produced legally in countries such as Cuba, China, and the United States. This also supports atobacco industry and the production of a variety oftobacco products, which, like alcoholic beverages, are subject toage restrictions in most countries.
Caffeine, astimulant drug, is extracted from plants including thecoffee plant and thetea bush. It is the most widely consumedpsychoactive substance in the world, remaining unregulated andgenerally recognized as safe by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration.
There are authorized dealers which provide consumers with legal intoxicants, every industry developing a network ofdistribution to connect with its clients. Drugpublicity by producers and distributors aims at increasing consumption.
Legal drugs for recreation are taken by people in private and in public, including places devoted to drug selling for consumptionin situ, such asbars and certainrestaurants.
The above-mentioned substances represent the most important products legally produced for the purposes of mind-altering effects.Some critics[who?] argue thatcannabis andopioids occupy the social position of alcohol and tobacco in some non-western countries, where alcohol and its users could be treated in a way resembling the harassment and prosecution of illegal drug users in western countries, in cultural defiance ofthe UN's worldwide prohibition. They are also the most important[who?]public health concern, as a result ofprohibition of certain other drugs.[4][5][6]