Stimulants include which substances?

• A. Cocaine, crack, meth, and bath salts
• B. Marijuana, heroin, alcohol, and fentanyl
• C. LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, and ketamine
• D. Codeine, morphine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone

Answer: (C)

Stimulants are drugs that raise activity in the central nervous system, leading to increased alertness, energy, heart rate, and mood by boosting neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. The substances that fit this group most clearly are cocaine, crack, methamphetamine, and bath salts. They’re well known for their stimulating effects: rapid energy, heightened focus, and stronger physical and mental arousal, often accompanied by a surge in dopamine signaling.

The other options involve substances with different primary effects. Cannabis (marijuana) and the opioids (heroin, fentanyl) act more like depressants or sedatives, slowing CNS activity. Alcohol is also a depressant. The psychedelics listed (LSD, psilocybin, mescaline) primarily alter perception and cognition rather than simply increasing CNS arousal, and ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic with effects distinct from classic stimulants.