Heroin
Diamorphine other known as Heroin is an opioid most commonly used for recreation or in other words the “high” effect. Heroin kick in after about two to three minutes of consumption and lasts four to five hours.
History of Heroin
“In 1898, the Bayer pharmaceutical company began an aggressive marketing campaign to sell its commercial preparation of Heroin. That was the name they gave to their formulation of diacetylmorphine, or the product of boiling morphine for several hours. Heroin was heavily promoted as being non-addicting, and therefore an excellent treatment for morphine addiction. Bronchitis, tuberculosis and other cough-inducing illnesses were also treated with Heroin. In 1906, the American Medical Association approved Heroin for general use and recommended that it be used in place of morphine.” Someone in the 1900s did not have to to administered heroin by a pharmacist. Also a family could have it in their medication cabinet. Mother would give Heroin to their infant babies to stop fussing and they would use it for any sickness including a simple cold or the flu. Although Heroin was a common drug among families there were very few overdoses.
Psychological Effects of Heroin
After someone takes heroin they will experience a rush of a “pleasurable sensation”. Depending on on how pure the heroin is and the tolerance of the person consuming heroin the intensity of the “high” effect can vary. Injecting heroin will get the user the fastest biggest rush. The user can also sniff or smoke the drug also. “Heroin enters the brain rapidly and binds to opioid receptors on cells located in many areas, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure and in controlling heart rate, sleeping, and breathing.”
Short Term Effects of Heroin
dry mouth
warm flushing of the skin
heavy feeling in the arms and legs
nausea and vomiting
severe itching
clouded mental functioning
“going “on the nod,” a back-and-forth state of being conscious and semiconscious”
Other short term effects in uses include addictiveness and always wanting more.
Long Term Effects
insomnia
collapsed veins for people who inject the drug
damaged tissue inside the nose for people who sniff or snort it
infection of the heart lining and valves
abscesses (swollen tissue filled with pus)
constipation and stomach cramping
liver and kidney disease
lung complications, including pneumonia
mental disorders such as depression and antisocial personality disorder
sexual dysfunction for men
irregular menstrual cycles for women
Other Potential Effects
“Heroin often contains additives, such as sugar, starch, or powdered milk, that can clog blood vessels leading to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain, causing permanent damage. Also, sharing drug injection equipment and having impaired judgment from drug use can increase the risk of contracting infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis (see “Injection Drug Use, HIV, and Hepatitis”).”
Addiction
Like any drug the user will begin to develop a tolerance which means more and more taken at one time. This leads to addiction. Heroin is one of the most addicting drugs there is and being addicted to heroin takes over your entire life. Many people addicted to heroin quit their job because they can not live without the drug and they need it at all times of the day. Instead they live on the streets and to earn money they do little side gigs. Someone who is addicted to heroin then stops abruptly will endure extreme with drawl symptoms these symptoms include:
restlessness
severe muscle and bone pain
sleep problems
diarrhea and vomiting
cold flashes with goose bumps (“cold turkey”)
uncontrollable leg movements (“kicking the habit”)
severe heroin cravings
“Researchers are studying the long-term effects of opioid addiction on the brain. Studies have shown some loss of the brain’s white matter associated with heroin use, which may affect decision-making, behavior control, and responses to stressful situations.” An estimated 13.5 million people in the world take opioids like Heroin.
Overdosing On Heroin
It is very common for an heroin addict to overdoes because of the addiction and need for Heroin, so the user consumes more and more until their body can not handle it anymore. If someone overdoses on Heroin they begin to stop breathing. “This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can have short- and long-term mental effects and effects on the nervous system, including coma and permanent brain damage.” Treatment for an overdose on Heroin is Naloxone which when given right away can reverse the effects of an overdose. It works by blocking the opioid receptors this blocks the effect of heroin to your brain.
Facts About Heroin
“Heroin is a highly addictive drug that is processed from morphine, which is a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy plant.”
“Heroin can be injected, snorted/sniffed, or smoked. It is highly addictive and enters the brain very quickly. Contrary to popular opinion, all three methods can lead to addiction and other severe health problems.”
“There is no cookie cutter heroin user. In fact, many of heroin’s newest addicts are in their teens or early 20s; many also come from middle- or upper-middle-class suburban families.”
“Tolerance to heroin develops with regular use, so after a short time more heroin is needed to produce the same level of intensity. This results in addiction.”
“Health risks to using heroin include:Fatal overdose, High risk of infections such as HIV/AIDS, Collapsed veins, Infection of the heart lining and valves, Liver disease.”
“When an addict stops using, he experiences physical withdrawal which can begin within just a few hours since the last use. Symptoms include: Restlessness, Insomnia, Diarrhea, Vomiting, Cold flashes with goose bumps, Muscle and bone pain.”
“Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose and can last up to a week. For some withdrawal can be as long as a few months after stopping the drug.Sudden withdrawal by heavily dependent users can be fatal.”
“Heroin was first manufactured in 1898 by the Bayer pharmaceutical company of Germany and marketed as a treatment for tuberculosis as well as a remedy for morphine addiction.”
“Heroin craving can persist years after drug use stops, and can be triggered by exposure to stress or people, places, and things associated with drug use.”
“In heroin’s purest form it is a fine, white powder. More often than not, it is found to be rose gray, brown or black. Toxic ingredients are usually mixed with heroin so the true purity of the drug and its strength is usually hard to really know.”
“Approximately 13.5 million people in the world take opioids (opium-like substances), including 9.2 million who use heroin.”
Citations
HEROIN HISTORY: 1900S
Your Bibliography: Drugabuse.gov. (2019). Heroin. [online] Available at: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin [Accessed 2 May 2019].
Your Bibliography: Narconon International. (2019). Heroin History: 1900s. [online] Available at: https://www.narconon.org/drug-information/heroin-history-1900s.html [Accessed 2 May 2019].
Your Bibliography: Dosomething.org. (2019). [online] Available at: https://www.dosomething.org/us/facts/11-facts-about-heroin [Accessed 2 May 2019].
