The Short-Term Effects Of Heroin

Heroin, a powerful narcotic, acts upon the brain as a painkiller, increasing physical addiction and ongoing emotional dependence (Schaffer Library of…). Heroin has many challenging and highly risky effects on the user, all the more hazardous if overdosing is present. This extremely dangerous drug, heroin, will never cease being used, but may cease the existence of an individual.

A few street names for heroin are smack, dope, brown sugar, black tar and dragon.

Heroin, a white powder, was created in 1874, and was sold as a safe substitute for morphine. However, it was discovered that heroin produced a quick dependency in people. Heroin and other opiates were made illegal in 1920 as part of the Dangerous Drugs Act. Still today, however, Heroin is illegally manufactured and imported, largely from the Indian sub-continent.

The drug was first created in 1898 as a medicine to relieve pain to those who were suffering from illnesses. However, it was eventually pulled from the market due to its severe and unwanted side effects. Heroin is made from a milky substance found inside the poppy plant. Pure heroin is as much as eight times stronger than that of morphine (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017).

Heroin provides a rush feeling in the brain which is can be accompanied by the following symptoms; a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities. The following side effects often present themselves nausea, vomiting and severe itching. After the initial effects of heroin have faded, abusers will be drowsy for several hours. With heroin the individual's mental function is often clouded because of the drugs effect on the central nervous system. Long term abuse of the drug can result in respiratory and cardiac functions slowing this are often the cause of death in heroin

“Heroin has analgesic and euphoric properties” (Abadinsky, 2014, p. 45). When the drug is taken and enters the body, heroin relieves pain, works as a sedative, decreases one’s anxiety, relaxes muscles, slows motor activity, drowsiness, and a feel of well being (Abadinsky, 2014). When taken, heroin will typically start to work within ten seconds, depending the method used to ingest the drug (Abadinsky, 2014). Most users will take a needle full of heroin after he or she cooked the powder into a liquid, and injected through the skin into a vein (Abadinsky, 2014). Heroin can also be smoked by inhaling the fumes like when marijuana is smoked (Abadinsky, 2014). There are four different stages that can occur when a person uses heroin, including the rush, the high, the nod, and being straight (Abadinsky, 2014). The rush is when the user experiences multiple types of euphoric feelings, instinctive sensations, a flushed face, and deeper vocals (Abadinsky, 2014). “Heroin activates brain systems that are responsible for reinforcing peoperties of such natural rewards as food and sex” (Abadinsky, 2014, p. 45). The high is a feeling of well-being that can last for hours, but the high can be less effective depending on the user’s tolerance to the drug (Abadinsky, 2014). Therefore, if a user has a high tolerance to the high, he or she must increase dose size in order to experience the effects of the high (Abadinsky,

Heroin has been a quiet crisis on the rise over the last few decades, wreaking havoc on communities and families. Hesitance to talk about the heroin crisis makes it difficult to fight the growing trend of abuse. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health, the increase of heroin abuse has risen 80 percent since 2002 (Jones). The medical effects of addicts abusing their bodies and neglecting their health are a variety of medical conditions. A short term abuser may experience depressed respiration, distorted mental functioning, nausea and vomiting (Volkow). The long term effects of heroin abuse can be addiction, infectious disease as in HIV, hepatitis B and C, collapsed veins, bacterial infections, abscesses and infection of the heart

Heroin is named after the German word for hero, heroisch. It was first made by C. R. Alder Wright in 1874 by adding two acetyl groups to the molecule morphine, a natural product of the opium poppy. Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is both the most abused and the most rapidly acting of the opiates, about two to four times more potent than morphine and is faster in its onset of action. It is processed from morphine which is a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky

Many people do not know that heroin addiction is even more prevalent than alcoholism, especially among young adults who have experimented with other drugs previously. If you or someone you know is suffering from a heroin addiction, know that Puget Sound Recovery Center’s doors are wide open for you. We offer safe and effective heroin rehabilitation for residents of Seattle, Tacoma, and many more communities across the Pacific Northwest.

Heroin, derived from morphine, is classified in the opioid family of painkilling drugs, made from the opium poppy plant, specifically the opium from the sap of the plant which is harvested from the seed pods after the flower falls off. The opium poppy is generally grown in Southeast Asia, Mexico, the Middle East and parts of Central and South America (Weintraub 16). Opium was used in the past in countries such as Egypt as a “cure-all” drug and a poison; It was then sold to parts of China and used as a recreational drug that had many users addicted and ruined their lives (Weintraub 16-17). A majority of the heroin in the United States today is smuggled in from South America and Mexico, and is coming over in record amounts

Heroin is a powerful narcotic and is illegal in most parts of the world. This drug is obtained from poppy opium plants. The farming of heroin can most likely be found in Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, Central America, South America, and Mexico. Since the 1980’s

Heroin addicts have the psychological dependence on heroin that leads them into the state of self-destruction and the possibility of leading to death by the extreme use of heroin. Never estimate the poppy flower for its power that withholds the fiends to their mentality enduring the euphoria enslavement of the mind that contained for many centuries. The heroin addiction nation is a self numbing injection and dry approach to have the mind under the state of the greatest feeling of great happiness leaving the pain behind under the spell of heroin. Heroin comes in many forms for addicts to enjoy in their own way. They come in powder and rock like form that is combined with other narcotics. The snorting form for heroin is not

Most users prefer to ingest heroin  through  injection. Which takes the mind altering substance straight into the bloodstream, resulting in what most users describe as a "rush".  In addition to injection through the bloodstream, heroin can also be taken in through different methods. These include to snort or to smoke.  Furthermore, the short term effects of heroin last a couple hours then disappear. Theses include; a rush, dry mouth, respiratory depression, nausea and warm flushed skin. Long term effects include; Bad teeth, Inflammation of the gum, Constipation, Cold sweats, Itching Depression, Pustules on the face, Loss of appetite, and Insomnia. In addition to the long term effects of this mind altering drug, heroin  can also clog blood vessels that lead to major organs causing organ failure.  Not only are users exposed to the effects of the drug, but they are also susceptible to diseases from unsanitary habits. Addicts who inject drugs like heroin are at risk of contracting HIV or HCV through blood contact. Which occurs through the use of sharing needles and other equipment.   Furthermore, once heroin reaches the brain, it turns into morphine. It connects to the opioid receptors. Which in turn is in charge of the major components of the brain. Nonetheless, like any other drug users can overdose on heroin. Once this occurs the supply of oxygen reaching the brain ceases causing hypoxia.

(2016, October 12)). Some people can become addicted after their first time using the drug. Once the person uses they may experience a rush, some may feel tired, can feel foggy (this is from the drug slowing the Central Nervous System down (C. (2016, October 12)), may vomit, their breathing can also become dangerously slow (Foundation for a Drug-Free World. (2005). When the drug starts to wear off the person will want to take more of it some withdrawal symptoms are described as “painful flu-like symptoms” (C. (2016, October 12)). Using the drug for a long time can also cause the user to have health issues as well such as collapsed veins, infection, and abscesses ((C. (2016, October 12)). With some of the additives that are put in the drug it can cause clotting in the blood but some may also cause an overdose (C. (2016, October 12)). While heroin is an extremely addictive drug there is also different strains of heroin black tar this type of heroin is cheaper than regular heroin but is stronger and more addictive (C. (2016, October 12)), cheese heroin is a mix of black tar heroin and Tylenol PM, this too is very addictive and can cause the users breathing to stop (Foundation for a Drug-Free World. (2005), China White is another strain of heroin that is mixed with Fentanyl (White Heroin. (16, February 8)). Depending on how heroin is used depends on how quickly the user can feel its effects it can range from 7-8 seconds to 10-15 minutes depending on the way it is administered ((C. (2016, October

Heroin can be ingested in numerous ways. Different ways it’s consumed can cause different effects on the body. When smoked, injected, or snorted, the high is immediate. The longest it takes to experience the high is about 15 minutes tops. All ways of heroin use are dangerous. If not careful, you can die from overdose. It makes it even worse when used with other drugs. You can also get diseases such as HIV and hepatitis from sharing needles with other people. The amount of heroin users have increased dramatically. There are many warning signs and symptoms people have while on heroin. Symptoms may include coma, low breathing, weak pulse, and small pupils.