Text File | 1992-02-11 | 4.8 KB | 25 lines | [04] ASCII Text (0x0000)
Heroin is a drug derived from the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, which means "the poppy that brings sleep." This name, however, hardly describes the many ways in which the extracts from the poppy affect human beings. Many accounts of opium users reveal the great suffering, unbearable addiction, and death caused by this powerful drug.
First synthesized in 1898 from morphine (a drug derived from opium), heroin was thought to be a safe means of curtailing or curing morphine addiction. In fact, Bayer, the company known for manufacturing aspirin, gave its version of the new product the name Heroin and began an intense, though brief, marketing campaign near the end of the 19th century. Heroin was included in medications such as cough suppressants, and its potential for abuse was largely ignored. Finally in 1924, Congress became aware of the harmful effects of heroin and made its use illegal.
All opiates, drugs produced from the milky juice of the poppy plant, behave similarly in the body. In fact, soon after heroin enters the bloodstream, it is converted into morphine by the liver and produces analgesia (pain reduction). However more important to most users is the intense euphoria produced by heroin.
The immediate effects of heroin are the most powerful of any opiate. Injection into a vein brings the most intense and quickest reaction. This reaction begins within seconds after injection. For several minutes a pleasant surge spreads throughout the body.
If the dose is heavy enough, however, this rush can bring on unconsciousness or even death. Otherwise, the intense feelings fade within a few minutes and are usually followed by several hours of gradually decreasing sensation, usually accompanied by sleep and lethargy. Feelings of dreaminess may be part of this sleepy period. But users frequently have difficulty maintaining their concentration and alertness while under the influence of heroin. Heroin also produces itching that causes many users to scratch their faces and bodies for hours after an injection.
Heroin can be very unpleasant for many first-time users. Direct injection into a vein often causes vomiting, and other people find the effects disorienting and physically uncomfortable. Unfortunately, this does not always stop experimenters from trying the drug again, thus running the risk of addiction. A characteristic of all opiates is that the user soon builds up a tolerance to the drug and must steadily increase the amount taken in order to get the same effects.
Heroin is a depressant, which means that it reduces the key functions of the central nervous system. It slows the pulse and breathing rate, causes a drop in blood pressure, and relaxes the smooth tissues of certain automatically functioning muscles, such as those of the diaphragm and intestines. As a result, heroin produces poor coordination, slowed reflexes, and slurred speech. The pupils of the eyes are often constricted, the eyes look glazed or watery, and the face may have a feverish flush.
Aside from the danger of becoming addicted, a primary risk of using heroin is that of overdosing, particularly if one injects the drug into a vein. Because opiates depress the central nervous system, reducing blood pressure, breathing, and muscular functions, a single dose of heroin can cause deep unconsciousness and death.
Another danger of heroin is the injection itself. Whether a person injects directly into a vein or just puts the needle under the skin, which is called "skin popping," improper techniques can cause serious infections, including septicemia (blood poisoning), which may result in the loss of a limb or even in death. After repeated injections in the same place, the veins can collapse or become permanently damaged. Other dangers caused by the injection are the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS.
These dangers exist even for the occasional or new user. But the dangers increase the more a person uses the drug.
When heroin is used regularly and heavily, it causes physiological changes to such an extent that the body will undergo predictable distress should its use be abruptly stopped. This condition is known as dependence.
As dependence increases, so does an individual's tolerance for large amounts of heroin. In other words, a heroin dose that barely gives a heavy user any pleasure could be fatal to someone who has less experience with the drug.
Withdrawl happens when a dependent person abruptly ceases using the drug. With heroin, the withdrawal syndrome resembles a case of the flu. Chills and gooseflesh, runny nose, aching limbs, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea are all common symptoms. Although this is uncomfortable, it isn't life-threatening. However, the drive to avoid withdrawl is enough for most addicts to continue to use heroin, since a shot of heroin brings immediate, though temporary, relief from withdrawl.
