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Heroin

- Heroin is an opioid drug derived from morphine that was originally marketed as a non-addictive substitute for morphine but is now illegal and highly addictive. Around 3.8 million Americans have tried heroin at least once. - Heroin use among college students has increased over the past 10 years while decreasing among teens. It is typically taken by smoking, snorting, or injection and carries high risks of overdose, addiction, and disease. - Heroin works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce pain and induce feelings of pleasure, but long-term use leads to dependence and withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug.

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Zainurain Zainal Abidin
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258 views19 pages

Heroin

- Heroin is an opioid drug derived from morphine that was originally marketed as a non-addictive substitute for morphine but is now illegal and highly addictive. Around 3.8 million Americans have tried heroin at least once. - Heroin use among college students has increased over the past 10 years while decreasing among teens. It is typically taken by smoking, snorting, or injection and carries high risks of overdose, addiction, and disease. - Heroin works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain to reduce pain and induce feelings of pleasure, but long-term use leads to dependence and withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug.

Uploaded by

Zainurain Zainal Abidin
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Heroin

3.8 million people say they have tried heroin at least once in their lifetime The average age of a first-time user is 20.7 Increase usage among college students in past 10 years

Decrease usage among teens in past 10 years

Heroin Statistics

Opium
Popular drug used during mid-late 1800s Utilized as a cure for alcohol around this time

Morphine
Derived from Opium Utilized as a painkiller Left user completely numb and in a euphoric state
As a result, people became addicted

History of Heroin

Invented in Germany by Bayer during 1874 Given to patients who were addicted to morphine Shipped to USA doctors to give to their morphine-addicted patients Referred to as a non-addictive and safe substitute for morphine

History of Heroin2

Sold legally and unregulated until 1920 Dangerous Drug Act of 1920

Made heroin illegal

By 1925, there were over 200,000 heroin addicts in the USA Now referred to as a recreational drug

History of Heroin3

Replace OH of morphine with OCOCH3 through acetylation

Morphine to Heroin

Comes from opium poppies (flowers) The farmer collects the sap from the sap Merchant buys the sap from the farmer, who then takes it to a morphine refinery The opium is then refined into morphine base Acetic anhydride is reacted with the morphine base to create heroin

How to Make Heroin

Heroin is a u-opioid agonist Once taken, the brain converts heroin to morphine The morphine binds to opioid receptors

Blocks pain signals from body Triggers feeling of pleasure by producing charges in the limbic system
Controls emotion

How Heroin Works

Endorphins are released from the brain and nerves


Weaken pain

When there is heroin in the body, the amount of endorphins released is reduced
User creates a dependence on the heroin This is why when a user stops taking heroin, they feel pain when nothing was physically done to them

How Heroin Works

Sight: white crystalline powder Smell: odorless Taste: bitter Molecular Weight: 369.42 Melting Point: 173 degrees Celsius

Physical Properties

Overdose Addiction Liver and kidney disease Pneumonia Hepatitis B and C HIV/AIDS Death

Risks of Heroin

Heroin is sold on the street People often dont know the purity of the heroin they are receiving Heroin is mixed with other substances such as:

Sugar Starch Quinine

Overdosing

Overtime, users develop a tolerance for the drug


Users need more and more heroin to get the same feeling After a while, users need heroin just to feel normal

Withdrawal symptoms:
Vomiting Bone and muscle pain Restlessness Heroin craving

Addiction

Dry mouth Pupils become smaller Discolored tongue Muscle spasms Weakened pulse Slow breathing Lips and fingernails tinged with blue Person may slip into a coma

Effects of Heroin Overdose

Users disregard friends and family Performance deficits More than likely job loss

Social Effects

Spend all their money on heroin Criminal activity to fund the drug In Afghanistan last year produced 6,100 tones of opium (92% of world total) Opium trade (in Afghanistan) is worth a $3.1 billion
Equal to a third of their total economy

Economic Effects

Smoke
Vaporizing it to inhale resulting fumes Glass pipes used

Insufflation
Aka snorting Starts in fine powder, then is inhaled into the nose sharply with a straw

How to Take Heroin

Oral

Injection

You eat it I guess Normally taken in arm veins Users at risk of HIV Heroin must be changed to a liquid to inject
Heroin in hydrochloride form only needs water to dissolve (USA) Heroin base can only be dissolved in water when mixed with an acid such as lemon juice and heated (Europe)

How to Take Heroin2

Heroin

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