hard drug

A hard drug is one considered highly addictive and dangerous, typically including heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.

The term distinguishes these substances from so-called soft drugs like marijuana, which are perceived as less harmful and less likely to cause physical dependence.

The hard/soft distinction is informal and often contested, as it oversimplifies complex pharmacological realities.

Police focused their efforts on hard drug trafficking rather than minor possession charges.