Heroin

In the late 1800s, scientists in Germany were trying to develop a painkiller that, unlike morphine, would not cause addiction. They came up with heroin, a drug that is stronger and even more addictive than morphine. Laboratory animals prefer it to food and water, and eventually will starve themselves to death by overusing heroin.

In the United States today, heroin is an illegal drug that is not approved for any medical uses. It is a Schedule I substance, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and is unsafe to use under any conditions. The penalties for trafficking in heroin or possessing it are harsh. Even a first offense can result in a ten-year prison term and millions of dollars in fines.

About Heroin

Heroin has come in and out of style over the years. It was popular in the late1970s and is regaining popularity today, particularly among people who are too young to remember those who died from it in other eras. They mistakenly believe it is safe to use if they snort or smoke it instead of injecting it. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is aware that a purer form of heroin is now coming into the United States to use in those ways, mostly from the “Golden Crescent” (Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan) and the “Golden Triangle” (Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar).

Heroin is in the opium family, and like all opiates, it turns into morphine in the human body. It binds itself to receptors in the brain, increasing dopamine levels. This phenomenon produces a “rush” of euphoria and pleasure that dissolves into a state of dreamy relaxation that can last for hours. The bad news is that new research indicates that heroin and other opiates may permanently change certain parts of the brain and alter the way a person can experience pleasure, leading to states of permanent depression among former addicts.

Some people have become addicted to heroin after trying it just a few times. Most research indicates that there is a genetic factor to addiction, and individuals who have family members who are drug addicts or alcoholics are at increased risk of becoming an addict themselves. Other risk factors for addiction include a family history of sexual abuse; a personal history of panic attacks, anxiety or post-traumatic stress; and the presence of mental disorders such as bipolar disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and oppositional-defiant disorder.

Dangers of Heroin

Heroin is dangerous not only because it is addictive, but because its street composition is usually 85 percent filler. Street dealers are notorious for lacing heroin with deadly fillers such as powered soup, curry, gravy, or even pulverized brick. They sometimes smuggle heroin into the United States by inserting it in their body cavities or the bodies of dead animals. These practices cause users to develop deadly staph infections.

Heroin overdoses are among the most common drug-related causes of death in the United States. What typically happens is that after the heroin user has built up a tolerance to the drug, he needs to use more to achieve the desired effect. Every time he increases his dose, he is more likely to overdose.

In addition to the risk of addiction and overdose, heroin has a variety of other negative effects on the human body. It causes such severe constipation that most addicts cannot eat meat or other foods, instead attempting to subsist on sweets and starches. If heroin abusers share needles, they are at increased risk for contracting blood-borne diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. They often develop heart valve infections and congested lungs, as well as painful sores near injection sites.

Heroin & Pregnancy

Pregnant women who use heroin are prone to suffer miscarriages. They are more likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, pneumonia, hepatitis, and anemia. If they try to stop using heroin without medical help, their babies are four times more likely of dying due to oxygen deprivation.

The babies that survive their mothers’ heroin abuse are often born with defects, such as undersized bodies and heads, and many have to endure withdrawal symptoms due to their pre-birth exposure to heroin.

Heroin & Delayed Development

Heroin has a way of taking over the addict’s entire life and stopping all personal growth. For example, if a person is involved with heroin from ages 18 to 25 years old, these become “lost years” at a time when her peers are completing college, beginning their careers, and getting married. When she enters treatment and counseling, she enters with a maturity level of an 18-year-old, because she wasted seven years of potential growth and development.
Smith, Sandra. Heroin. New York: Rosen Publishing, 2000.