...Heroin Addiction Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is usually sold as a white or brown like powder or as a black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin”. Pure heroin is becoming more common on the streets, but most is cut with other drugs or substances such as sugar, starch or other poisons. Heroin abusers do not often know the actual strength of the drug, or what its contents are and are at risk of overdose or death. It is estimated that 9.2 million people in the world use heroin and first time users have risen from 85000 people in 1970 to 162000 in 2001. HIV and other diseases can be transmitted from abuser to abuser from sharing of needles or other types of injection equipment; about three to four percent of heroin addicts die each year from HIV and AIDS. Heroin, or as known on the streets as “smack”, “H”, “junk” and many others is usually injected, sniffed, snorted or smoked. Intravenous injection provides a heroin abuser with the greatest intensity and most rapid high, producing a drowsy state of relaxation and contentment, taking approximately fifteen to thirty seconds to get that intense high. Injection into the muscle or skin takes about three to five minutes for an abuser to get a high. When heroin is sniffed or smoked, the effects are usually felt within ten to fifteen minutes. Injection is the most used method of heroin users; however researchers have seen a shift in patterns from injection to sniffing...
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...Heroin: The Devastating Truth April Matthews COM/172 08-11-2014 UoP Heroin: The Devastating Truth The United States is in the grips of one of the worst heroin epidemics in its history, due in part to a flood of cheap doses of the drug. In some regions, heroin is deemed "highly available" by local police in more than three times the number of communities as it was just seven years ago. This drug has taken many lives in the past and it is now becoming very popular again. The resurgence of the deadly drug has sparked a flurry of action from governors' mansions and statehouses across New England. The addiction of this drug is devastating and the deaths are rising. Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine, is an illegal drug in the United States and many other countries. Heroin has devastating results on the brain and body. Estimates on the number of U.S. heroin addicts range from 300,000 to 500,000, up about 75 percent from five years ago. And while that is just a minor portion of the nearly 24 million Americans that abuse drugs overall, heroin use is growing faster than all others. Heroin is a powerfully addictive drug. Also known as smack, h, ska, dope or junk, this white or brown powdery or black, sticky substance is processed from morphine. Like all opiates, it is a depressant that inhibits the central nervous system. Heroin is administered in three ways: smoking, snorting, or shooting (injecting)...
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...Title: A Heroin Epidemic General purpose: To inform. Specific purpose: To inform the audience of facts about heroin use. Thesis: Heroin is a highly addictive drug and its abuse has repercussions on the body and mind, not to mention the rippling effects onto the family, society and economy. Introduction 1. Many people would never think that heroin would ever play a role in their life or the lives of their family. 2. I am pursuing a degree in nursing and so am interested in the health effects of heroin. 3. Today we will talk about some of the history of heroin use in the United States, heroin addiction, and how it affects health. Body: What is heroin and how is it used? a) The compound that forms the basis of heroin, Diacetylmorphine, was first synthesized in 1874 by a British chemist named C.R. Alder Wright. b) It is a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy plant. c) To harvest opium, the seed pod of the poppy is cut and a juice flows out. The main ingredient that is extracted from raw opium is morphine. Morphine is easily converted to heroin by a chemical process. http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/hero.html d) In pure form is a white powder. Another form of heroin known as "black tar" may be sticky, like roofing tar, or hard, like coal. Its color may vary from dark brown to black. http://www.drugs.com/heroin.html Methods of heroin use a) Heroin is used by...
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...Alcohol and Drug Addiction Liberty University Abstract This paper is a reflection of addiction in the United States and the statistics that prove addiction is a major issue within the country. Discussed in the paper will be first the primary causes of addiction and risk factors that may lead to an addiction in an individual. Going further into the problem, the cycle of addiction and how to break free of the cycle and an individual’s addiction is talked about. Since there are different drugs that can cause addiction, a breakdown of certain drugs is given. These drugs include alcohol, prescription drugs, heroin, and marijuana. Next, the side effects of drug addiction to the drugs chosen are described in depth as well as the signs that can be viewed in screening for drug addiction. Resources available to drug addiction are touched on and treatment options to explore what can be done if an individual does suffer from drug addiction. Finally, what human service professionals are doing to assist individuals who are addicted and how they can improve on training to ensure that addiction can be caught early enough to make a difference? Introduction to Drug Addiction Addiction is a chronic disease of brain reward, motivation and memory in individuals who submit to any number of different drugs available to them. Such chronic need for the drugs leads to manifestations biologically, psychologically, spiritually and even socially in any given individual (ASAM, 2014). These, however...
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...Drug Research: Heroin 1.History and original purpose of drug. Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine, was first synthesized from morphine by a British chemist in 1874. It was then produced and commercialized as a product to alleviate pain by the Bayer Company in 1898. However, the narcotic’s primary effect to reduce pain was outweighed by undesirable side-effects. This made way for the banning of the drug. It is now illegal in a majority of countries in the world. Heroin is still reproduced and distributed illegally all around the world. High drug trafficking areas of the world includes the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Mexico. 3.8 million People say they have tried heroin at least once in their lifetimes. 560,000 people used heroin last year. 38,000 people used heroin last month. The rate of lifetime heroin use is higher among those in prison. Even though heroin use isn't terribly widespread, it still represents a threat. The devastating effects of heroin overdose and prolonged heroin use, along with its addicting nature, can be very damaging and put strain on loved ones of someone involved in heroin substance abuse. 2. The effects on the body and mind while under the influence of the drug: Heroin produces a feeling of euphoria, in which the user has a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth and feeling of having “heavy” arms and legs. After the initial rush, users will go into an alternately wakeful and drowsy state sometimes called “on the nod,” some will report itching...
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..."Evidence for a Big Brother Effect in Survey-Based Fear of Crime Research." International Journal of Criminology and Sociology 3 (2014): 146-57. ProQuest. Web. 9 Feb. 2016. This article examines the topic of the relationship between siblings and how it affects their fear of crime. It found that older brothers have a tendency to be more protective over their younger brothers- also known as the Big Brother effect (148). Although most of this study focused on the effect of females having an older brother, it often explores how older brothers are effected by younger siblings. This is useful for my paper since the narrator often discusses fear. He often states how everyone is scared for Sonny. This article will help me explore how the narrator’s point of view upon Sonny is influenced by the Big Brother effect. Hoagwood, Kimberly E., et al. "Family...
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...Drug use in the United States is a growing problem. It is important for businesses to have an understanding of the types of drugs that are available. This guide will give an overview of stimulants, depressants, opiates, hallucinogens, and cannabis. Stimulants Meth is a highly addictive stimulant that can cause severe damage to the body and brain. Meth has many street names, such as, ice, crank, crystal, glass, and speed. Most of these names are derived from the way it looks. It appears as crystals. Meth can be taken by snorting, smoking, injecting, or by dissolving it in water or alcohol. According to "National Institute on Drug Abuse" (2010), “Methamphetamine’s ability to release dopamine rapidly in reward regions of the brain produces the intense euphoria, or “rush,” that many users feel after snorting, smoking, or injecting the drug.” This aids to the addiction process. For those that chronically abuse methamphetamines, their brain will undergo changes in the way it functions. These changes include both cognitive, emotional and memory issues. The side effects associated with taking meth include increased wakefulness, increased physical activity, decreased appetite, increased respiration, rapid heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and hyperthermia ("National Institute on Drug Abuse", 2010). Long term meth use can lead to extreme weight loss, severe dental problems (“meth mouth”), anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances...
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...Drug Addicction in Pakistan By saria sajjad Pakistan is today notorious for many things, but in the last 20 years, drug production and addiction has increasingly become just one of them. The issue of drug production is often overshadowed by the many of the country’s other human development problems, such as poverty, illiteracy and lack of basic health care. But the fact is, drug abuse is rapidly growing in Pakistan and in South Asia in general. While Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Maldives all suffer from this, Pakistan is the worth victim of the drug trade in South Asia. Today, the country has the largest heroin consumer market in the South-West Asia region. It was not always this way. Pakistan became a major explore of heroin in the 1980s, following the influx of Afghan refugees escaping the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. The major consequences of this have been a significant increase in domestic consumption of heroin in Pakistan. Heroin was once upon a time a drug which was virtually unknown in the country until the late 1970s. Today Pakistan is not only one of the main exporters of heroin; it has also become a net importer of drugs. It is estimated that about 50 tons of opium are smuggled into Pakistan for processing heroin for domestic use. Almost 80 percent of the opium processed in Pakistan comes from neighboring countries. Drug situation is witnessing changing trends, as in fashion. Chars, opium and heroin used to be the primary choice of drugs. But now a synthetic...
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...Heroin What do fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases all have in common? They are all serious health conditions that might occur if someone is abusing opiates. This includes heroin, also known as diacetyl morphine or diamorphine. Its abuse is more widespread than any other opiates. In this paper, opiates and heroin will be deeply discussed and their major effect on society. What does it mean to be drugged? It means losing your health. It means losing the ability to learn. It means losing your family and friends. It means losing free will. It means losing the joy of living. When a person does drugs, it is likely that they will lose more than what they gain by the drug s effects. People only one desire in life- to get high. The attitude is now, What the hell do I care? Being drugged also means that there is the constant possibility of infection, disease, and even death. But that doesn t matter because an addict only wants their fix. So what makes drugs so appealing to young people? Well might do it because it s something to help their social status- to be like their friends. They might be trying to numb the physical or mental suffering of life. Drugs offer a solution to many teenagers that think they don t have future. Lastly, doing drugs is dangerous and forbidden. It s a chance for them to do something that they know is wrong. Opiates are a group of drugs, which are used medically to relieve pain, but also have a high potential...
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...Heroin is a extremely addictive medication, prohibited, and one of the most abused narcotic. Although purer heroin is becoming apparently more common, a majority of heroin is processed with various stronger substances. For example, sugar, quinine, or starch (Candelaria). Street heroin can be made with these variety of dangerous substances. Heroin users are at extraordinary danger of overdose or even death because most times, they are not aware of the many modifications made to the drug or its real substance (Candelaria). Heroin also pose problems such as the transmission of HIV and various ailments that can ensue from sharing needles or other injection tools (Candelaria). Short-term effects can consist of heroin crossing the brain shortly after consumption (Candelaria), subsequently, users frequently report feeling a surge of sensation. The intensity of the rush is a correlation of not only just how much drug is consumed but also how rapidly the drug links to the opioid receptors (Candelaria). Heroin is especially addictive due to the fact that it enters the mind so quickly, sending a surge throughout the body. The surge after consumption is accompanied by a warm sensation of the skin, a staggering feeling in the vision, and dry mouth, which may...
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...Drug Trafficking in the United States Bethany Chrisco ENG 122: English Composition II Mary Harmon December 10, 2012 Drug Trafficking in the United States “The war on drugs has become the longest most deadly war the United States has ever faced.”(Wright, 2011) The United States has been fighting drug trafficking since the 1900’s and the main dilemma is how to exactly stop it. Some people believe that making drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamine legal in the United States would put a stop to drug trafficking, but this is just going to do nothing but make things worse for the people of the United States and cause the drug war to begin in our own country. It is believed by some that making drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, and methamphetamine legal in the United States will stop drug trafficking from other countries and help the United States in other ways. People believe that making drugs legal in the United States that it would reduce the prison population which will save the government money, it will make money for our country because the government can tax the drugs, reduce the chances of drug overdoses because the drugs will be more pure and the amount sold will not be deathly, help cancer and glaucoma patients, and stop trafficking and smuggling from other countries. This all may be true in some ways but making these drugs legal would just cause more problems within the United States and for our people. These problems vary...
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...Heroin Addiction and Treatment Abstract This paper offers a brief explanation of the history of heroin. Describing the origins of heroin, who discovered it and describe the detrimental effects heroin has on an individual. There are several treatment options available for heroin addicts and this paper will look at a few of the ones that have shown the most success. Heroin Addiction and Treatment Introduction: A Brief History of Heroin Heroin comes from the opium poppy. This plant has been used by a number of various civilizations going back to include ancient civilizations. Opium, heroin, and morphine are derived from the poppy. Opium had been used by Drs. in the United States for many years prior to the Civil War. When morphine was discovered Drs. switched to using morphine instead of opium for pain, mainly because the hypodermic needle had been invented and morphine could be injected and pain could be better controlled. Heroin was derived from a chemical process discovered by Felix Hoffman in 1874. Heroin was initially distributed as a pain killer, and cough suppressant by Bayer Company in 1898. Drs. initially thought that heroin could replace morphine because they thought heroin did not possess the addictive qualities of morphine. In fact Drs. used heroin to get their patient’s off morphine. They thought...
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...Heroin Addiction Psyc 305 B-03 June 15, 2015 Abstract: This paper will serve to provide information about heroin addiction in our society. Heroin addiction is an epidemic problem in the United States and is growing every year. Factors such as genetics and environmental factors will be discussed as they relate to heroin addicts. Trends with prescription pain medication and their effects on heroin use will be discussed. This paper will also highlight the prevalence of heroin in the United States. Heroin affects different groups of people in all walks of life. Treatment for heroin will be discussed in the latter portion of this paper. This will highlight different options to fit specific needs. Addiction: a physical dependency on a substance (Doweiko, 2015), a chronic brain disease that causes compulsive substance use despite harmful consequences, (Addiction, 2015). There is no universally accepted way to define addiction. It seems that it is easier to qualify behavior as an addiction than it is to define the word itself. For the purpose of this paper we will use the four general categories of the DSM-5 to help identify and understand heroin addiction. This paper will serve to provide information about heroin addiction’s possible causes, prevalence and treatment. What causes heroin addiction? The causes of heroin addiction are not clear. As with most drugs it is thought that the user is trying to feel better or self-medicate...
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...even more defined in cases of substance abuse by pregnant women, including legal addictive substances such as nicotine and alcohol. This issue has been pushed to the forefront of the public consciousness over the course of the past 30 years. Murphy and Rosenbaum 1999, describe maternal prenatal substance abuse as “chronic use of alcohol and/or other drugs by pregnant women”. It is my belief that the use of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs during pregnancy is still child endangerment .All these tetatogen’s can kill your baby or cause serious problems for them with the development of cognitive, physical, social, and emotional abilities. It is unfair to the child to have no control over what has caused them problems with development as a result of their mother’s teratogen use; therefore there should be consequences as a result of their harmful decisions. It is understood that a women has the right to do with her body what she wants and that some that are pregnant: drink, smoke, or use illegal drugs with no signs of birth defects apparent in the born fetus. In addition, I do have compassion for those addicted to drugs that may require...
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...Assignment 2 Heroin is one of the worlds most dangerous drugs, and is also one of the world's oldest. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 69,000 people die from an opioid overdose each year. (Information Sheet on Opioid Overdose). Heroin is just one of the many opioid forms labeled as analgesics. An analgesic relieves pain and is also called a “pain-killer”. Opioids are created from the plant “papaver somniferum”, better known as the opium poppy. The earliest records of this plant date back thousands of years ago to a Sumerian tablet which called the plant the “flower of joy.” The opium poppy is the root source of all opioids, the seed pod is the source of the naturally occurring opium. To extract the opium cuts are made to the green poppy seeds, which will ooze out a latex that is collected and dried to produce the raw opium. This latex is used to produce opioids such as morphine and codeine. Throughout history opium has seen its many uses. The drug came to its most prominence in the 1700’s, when the Dutch introduced the practice of smoking opium in a tobacco pipe to the Chinese. Up until this point opium had been used largely for its medical use as an analgesic. By 1729 the Chinese government had outlawed the sale of opium, fearing the weakening of the national vitality. Additionally the Chinese government had forbade the import of opium from India where the plant was largely cultivated. However the British East India Company encouraged the cultivation...
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