The abuse of heroin doesn’t only affect ordinary individuals. In fact, the deaths of some celebrities are linked to heroin abuse like the death of Hoffman, Oscar winner whose autopsy report stated that he died due to the intake of mixed substances heroin, cocaine, amphetamines and benzodiazepines. With the alarming growth of heroin users, it’s crucial that everyone is informed about this type of drug, where it originated as well as the treatments recommended to solve the addiction problem of the society.
History of Heroin
Heroin originates from the poppy plant, scientific name “Papaver somniferum”. During the 3400 B.C. this plant is also referred as “joy plant and was generally used for medicinal purposed to relieve pain. Back in the centuries, this drug is mixed in teas, food, smoked, snorted, injected as painkiller and even used in trading of goods due to its euphoric effect. Heroin is also used then to numb the pain of wounded soldiers during the American Civil War.
It was during this period that misuse and abuse of heroin started and eventually led to the heroin epidemic. In 1803, Friedrich Sertuerner, a German national attempted to make the opium addictive ingredients insignificant, did an experiment on this substance and came up with morphine. During this period, medical professionals like physicians believed that morphine is safe and non-addictive. It was in 1827 that a German company started the production of morphine for commercial use. In 1843, Dr. Alexander Wood from Scotland introduced a method to administer morphine and that is through injection. Women in this period are the large number of users of opium and morphine.
In 1891, the first incident of death reported by “speedball” is due to the mixing of heroin and cocaine where Dr. Ernest von Fleischl died because doctor Sigmund Freud gave a prescription of cocaine to Dr. Fleischl to cure his addiction to morphine.
In 1895, Heinrich Dreser of Germany experimented in changing morphine chemically in his desire to change the side effects and addiction linked to morphine and opium. This led to the production of Heroin at the company where he worked, the Bayer Corporation. The drug is introduced as painkiller that is much effective that morphine with no addictive elements. In fact, heroin is then believed to be a source of cure to opium and morphine addiction.
The St. James Society in the US learned about this cure and begun the campaign of giving free samples of heroin through the postal mail to fight morphine addiction. In fact, there are others who also supported this campaign to put an end to opium and morphine addiction like the Sears Roebuck catalog offering heroin and needles in a case for purchase. But, their exaltation on heroin was only for a short period because in 1902, physicians started to argue that withdrawing from heroine is also a struggle and provide discomfort similar to morphine withdrawal. It was in 1905 that heroin was banned by the US Congress. It was also at this time that heroin addiction has grew rapidly at an alarming level, making it an epidemic case.
Trade of Heroin
In 1900s, more restrictions are done for this drug where opium import used for production of heroin is banned. Although, this restriction helped in some way to control the epidemic, it has not stopped the production, export, abuse and addiction to this drug. In fact, many individuals are more willing to try it without any knowledge of the risks involved.
Treating addicts using heroin as part of the treatment is not allowed in clinics at that time and were sanctioned by law. During their shutdown, users are forced to get the drug illegally. In 1925, an estimate of 1.7% population of US are addicted to heroin and that’s why there was a huge demand of the drug. In1948 to 1972, use of heroin has become an epidemic where its focal point was in New York City. Due to its growing number of users, the then-President Nixon came up with a solution by creating the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973.
Vietnam is the major producer of opium production and the others countries on the list are Laos, Thailand and Burma referred as the “Golden Triangle”. These major producers were eclipsed by the “Golden Crescent” in Afghanistan. At present generation, the South American and Mexican drug cartels are regarded as the major suppliers of heroin in the marketplace.
Opiate abuse and treatment
Heroin, morphine and opium are not the only types of opiates abused by Americans. Opioids such as Percocet and Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone), Opana (oxymorphone hydrochloride) are also abused. Based on the nationa survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), around 10.9% of the Americans from the age bracket of 18 to 25 have already abused opiates and other prescribe medicines like painkillers in 2012.
Among the common forms of treating heroin addiction is the methadone maintenance treatment option. This form of treatment is quite similar to those treatments given in clinics in 1924 treating heroin addiction. Methadone, a Schedule 2 narcotic drug which is a class of opiate introduced in Germany in 1939. It is now used to treat patients with opiate addiction on clinics that provide methadone to addicts for 12 months. This treatment can cover a period of years where the goal is to withdraw addicst from methadone slowly.
Methadone treatment has its own downside because it is generally given as outpatient, so there is a chance that the patient will go back to his or her drug addiction like heroin while at the same time taking methadone, which could eventually be highly dangerous as compared to those who are simply withdrawing from heroin addiction.
The most workable treatment solution to solve drug addiction is the inpatient treatment where detoxification and various treatment sessions that will form as part of the rehabilitation are done in safe, secured and well facilitated residential rehab center. The whole treatment program aims to combine medical, holistic and other therapies to help the person with addiction problem reach full recovery.
History of Heroin
Heroin originates from the poppy plant, scientific name “Papaver somniferum”. During the 3400 B.C. this plant is also referred as “joy plant and was generally used for medicinal purposed to relieve pain. Back in the centuries, this drug is mixed in teas, food, smoked, snorted, injected as painkiller and even used in trading of goods due to its euphoric effect. Heroin is also used then to numb the pain of wounded soldiers during the American Civil War.
It was during this period that misuse and abuse of heroin started and eventually led to the heroin epidemic. In 1803, Friedrich Sertuerner, a German national attempted to make the opium addictive ingredients insignificant, did an experiment on this substance and came up with morphine. During this period, medical professionals like physicians believed that morphine is safe and non-addictive. It was in 1827 that a German company started the production of morphine for commercial use. In 1843, Dr. Alexander Wood from Scotland introduced a method to administer morphine and that is through injection. Women in this period are the large number of users of opium and morphine.
In 1891, the first incident of death reported by “speedball” is due to the mixing of heroin and cocaine where Dr. Ernest von Fleischl died because doctor Sigmund Freud gave a prescription of cocaine to Dr. Fleischl to cure his addiction to morphine.
In 1895, Heinrich Dreser of Germany experimented in changing morphine chemically in his desire to change the side effects and addiction linked to morphine and opium. This led to the production of Heroin at the company where he worked, the Bayer Corporation. The drug is introduced as painkiller that is much effective that morphine with no addictive elements. In fact, heroin is then believed to be a source of cure to opium and morphine addiction.
The St. James Society in the US learned about this cure and begun the campaign of giving free samples of heroin through the postal mail to fight morphine addiction. In fact, there are others who also supported this campaign to put an end to opium and morphine addiction like the Sears Roebuck catalog offering heroin and needles in a case for purchase. But, their exaltation on heroin was only for a short period because in 1902, physicians started to argue that withdrawing from heroine is also a struggle and provide discomfort similar to morphine withdrawal. It was in 1905 that heroin was banned by the US Congress. It was also at this time that heroin addiction has grew rapidly at an alarming level, making it an epidemic case.
Trade of Heroin
In 1900s, more restrictions are done for this drug where opium import used for production of heroin is banned. Although, this restriction helped in some way to control the epidemic, it has not stopped the production, export, abuse and addiction to this drug. In fact, many individuals are more willing to try it without any knowledge of the risks involved.
Treating addicts using heroin as part of the treatment is not allowed in clinics at that time and were sanctioned by law. During their shutdown, users are forced to get the drug illegally. In 1925, an estimate of 1.7% population of US are addicted to heroin and that’s why there was a huge demand of the drug. In1948 to 1972, use of heroin has become an epidemic where its focal point was in New York City. Due to its growing number of users, the then-President Nixon came up with a solution by creating the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in 1973.
Vietnam is the major producer of opium production and the others countries on the list are Laos, Thailand and Burma referred as the “Golden Triangle”. These major producers were eclipsed by the “Golden Crescent” in Afghanistan. At present generation, the South American and Mexican drug cartels are regarded as the major suppliers of heroin in the marketplace.
Opiate abuse and treatment
Heroin, morphine and opium are not the only types of opiates abused by Americans. Opioids such as Percocet and Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone), Opana (oxymorphone hydrochloride) are also abused. Based on the nationa survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), around 10.9% of the Americans from the age bracket of 18 to 25 have already abused opiates and other prescribe medicines like painkillers in 2012.
Among the common forms of treating heroin addiction is the methadone maintenance treatment option. This form of treatment is quite similar to those treatments given in clinics in 1924 treating heroin addiction. Methadone, a Schedule 2 narcotic drug which is a class of opiate introduced in Germany in 1939. It is now used to treat patients with opiate addiction on clinics that provide methadone to addicts for 12 months. This treatment can cover a period of years where the goal is to withdraw addicst from methadone slowly.
Methadone treatment has its own downside because it is generally given as outpatient, so there is a chance that the patient will go back to his or her drug addiction like heroin while at the same time taking methadone, which could eventually be highly dangerous as compared to those who are simply withdrawing from heroin addiction.
The most workable treatment solution to solve drug addiction is the inpatient treatment where detoxification and various treatment sessions that will form as part of the rehabilitation are done in safe, secured and well facilitated residential rehab center. The whole treatment program aims to combine medical, holistic and other therapies to help the person with addiction problem reach full recovery.
