Question

The history of drug use may be divided into the natural era, the transformative era, and the synthetic era. Which of the following drugs was produced and first consumed during its natural era?

a) opium
b) amphetamines
c) Ambien
d) morphine
e) none of the above

Answer 1

Opium is the drug from the provided options that was first produced and consumed during the natural era, as it is a natural resinous extract from the opium poppy.

Step-by-step explanation:

The history of drug use can be understood through three different eras: the natural era, the transformative era, and the synthetic era. Drugs produced and consumed during the natural era are those that can be directly derived from plants or naturally occurring substances without significant chemical alteration. Given the options provided, opium is the drug that was first produced and consumed during the natural era. Opium is a crude resinous extract obtained from the opium poppy and contains a variety of compounds, including morphine and codeine, but it is used in its natural form without synthetic modifications.