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In 3400 BC, the opium poppy was cultivated in lower Mesopotamia. The chemical analysis of opium found that most activity could be linked to two alkaloids (naturally occurring chemical compounds), codeine and morphine. First synthesized by C.R. Alder Wright in 1874, a chemist working at St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, England.
Marketed between 1898-1910 under the name heroin, diacetylmorphine as marketed as a non-addictive substitute for morphine. Bayer used heroin as an alternative therapy for people suffering from morphine addiction, and as a cough suppressant. However, it was later discovered that heroin was metabolized by the body as morphine, causing a major embarrassment for Bayer.
Like morphine addiction, it was soon discovered that people could suffer the same effects as with a heroin addiction. In 1924, as a result additional legislation passed by the US Congress, the sale of heroin was banned and it became a Schedule I substance and is illegal to possess or sell.
Heroin is used as a recreational drug, causing profound relaxation and intense euphoria the latter effect of the drug decreases as an increase of tolerance is built up from continuous use. Heroin users report feeling an intense "rush," short-term heroin addiction studies indicate users have a stronger preference for the drug than other opioid drugs. One of the most common ways for a person to use heroin intravenously, though it can be snorted or smoked when it is rolled into a cigarette or put on aluminum foil and heated.
The effects of heroin addiction can cause the following symptoms; drowsiness, disorientation, delirium, hypertension (high blood pressure), shallow breathing, sweating, dry mouth, mood swings, pinpoint pupils, nausea, vomiting, constipation, physical dependence, confusion, itching, flushing of the skin, venous collapse and urinary retention. The more heroin that is consumed and the longer the duration, the more damage that can be experienced and the harder it can be to overcome the addiction.
According to a United Nations sponsored survey in 2004, Afghanistan was responsible for more more than 85% of the worlds heroin supply. However, the majority of the heroin supply in the United States comes from Mexico and Colombia.
For people who experience heroin addiction and use the drug intravenously, the use of non-sterile needles and syringes leads to serious risks such as contracting hepatitis or HIV, bacterial or fungal endocarditis, venous sclerosis and decreased kidney function. As a result, several countries and governments are now funding a supply of sterile needles to heroin users in an attempt to cut back on the risks associated with intravenous use.
For people with a heroin addiction, the reality of death by overdose is highly likely, and can take several minutes to several hours due to anoxia (decrease in oxygen levels). Because heroin has such a high risk of overdose and the strength of the drug is unknown, using one or more drugs at the same time can dramatically increase overdose risks.
If you or someone you love is seeking help for an addiction to heroin, there is help available. Contact the admissions office of Transformations Treatment Center today for further information. |
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