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Heroin
Heroin is a highly addictive drug, and its use is a serious problem in
America. Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting heroin to
snorting or smoking because of increased purity and the misconception
that these forms of use will not lead to addiction.
Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted
from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as
a white or brown powder. Street names for heroin include "smack," "H," "skag," and "junk." Other
names may refer to types of heroin produced in a specific geographical
area, such as "Mexican black tar."
Health Hazards
Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria ("rush") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system. Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin's depressing effects on respiration.
In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.
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Reports from SAMHSA's 1995 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collects data on drug-related hospital emergency room episodes and drug-related deaths from 21 metropolitan areas, rank heroin second as the most frequently mentioned drug in overall drug-related deaths. From 1990 through 1995, the number of heroin-related episodes doubled. Between 1994 and 1995, there was a 19 percent increase in heroin-related emergency department episodes. |
Tolerance, Addiction, and Withdrawal
With regular
heroin use, tolerance develops. This means the abuser must use more
heroin to achieve the same intensity or effect.
As higher doses
are used over time, physical dependence and addiction develop.
With physical dependence, the body has adapted to the presence
of the
drug and withdrawal
symptoms may occur if use is reduced or stopped.
Withdrawal, which in regular abusers may occur as early as
a few hours after the last administration, produces drug
craving, restlessness,
muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea and vomiting, cold
flashes
with goose
bumps ("cold turkey"), kicking movements ("kicking the
habit"), and other symptoms. Major withdrawal symptoms
peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose and subside
after about a week. Sudden
withdrawal by heavily dependent users who are in poor health
is occasionally fatal, although heroin withdrawal is considered
much less dangerous than
alcohol or barbiturate withdrawal.
Source National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Heroin and pop culture
Have you ever heard of someone named Janis Joplin, how about Shannon Hoon, or Sid Vicious, maybe River Phoenix, Bradley Nowell, possibly John Belushi or Chris Farley? These are just a few of the famous musicians or actors who have died from a heroin overdose. Others like Jimi Hendrix or Kurt Cobain may not have died from an overdose of heroin but they were such heavy users that it played a major role in their premature deaths. Heroin is the topic of many songs and movies, however unlike marijuana or alcohol it is not glamorized and the negative aspects and consequences are usually highlighted. Anyone who has seen Trainspotting or Requiem for a Dream or has heard interviews with bands like Aerosmith and many others should have a pretty good idea of the detrimental effects this drug has. It has robbed our society of some of the most talented and gifted artists throughout the last generation.
Did you know that Morphine was first isolated in 1805 by German physician Friedrich Sertuerner and was named after the Greek god of dreams, Morpheus? Did you know that Heroin was discovered in 1895 by a German physician named Heinrich Dreser who diluted morphine with acetyls and was marketed by the Bayer Company as a medication without the common morphine side effects? Did you know in the early 1900’s the philanthropic Saint James Society in the U.S. mounts a campaign to supply free samples of heroin through the mail to morphine addicts who are trying give up their habits. It was actually believed by some that Heroin was a non-addictive counter to morphine addiction. However by 1905 Heroin was banned by the United States congress after Heroin addiction skyrocketed around 1903. Ironically Methadone was developed as a non-addictive counter to Heroin addiction. There is controversy in the treatment world whether Methadone really is a safe treatment or not. Some believe it is just as addictive as Heroin. So what’s next the non-addictive counter to Methadone addiction? Stay tuned! |
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