Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy (NVCJA) Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT one of the four categories of drugs?

1. Narcotics

2. Stimulants

3. Antibiotics

4. Hallucinogens

The correct answer is: Antibiotics

The correct answer is the category that does not belong to the four primary categories of drugs typically analyzed in a substance abuse context. The four main categories of drugs are narcotics, stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens. Narcotics are substances that dull the senses and relieve pain, stimulants increase energy and alertness, and hallucinogens alter perception and can lead to visual or auditory hallucinations. In contrast, antibiotics are not classified as drugs intended for recreational use or for altering mental states; rather, they are specialized medications designed to treat bacterial infections and are not typically grouped with the aforementioned categories of drugs. This distinction highlights the therapeutic function of antibiotics in the medical field, separate from the recreational or psychoactive effects associated with the other listed categories.