2. History
In the 1890’s heroin was believe to be the cure for morphine
addiction and tuberculosis. Heroine is manufactured from refined
morphine. Morphine was created to cure opiate addiction. It is
also manufactured from refined opium. Heroine is incredibly
addictive. Just after one try a person can start to form a serious
addiction to heroine.
5. Classification
The classification given by the federal government is Schedule
1
According to the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, “The
drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse. The drug
or other substance has no currently accepted medical treatment
use in the U.S.”.
6. Common Chemicals
● opium
● morphine
● sugar
● caffeine
● sometimes it’s “cut” with strychnine
o which is used for rat poison, and it induces violent convulsions
making it deadly
7. Harmful Effects
- Physical: Heroin can be taken by injection, by needle. Because you shoot heroin into the veins you are clogging
them. This can cause infection or the destruction of vital organs like your heart, liver, brain, kidneys. Because
you can infect your blood vessels they can collapse. Heroin also breaks down a person’s immune system. This
can leave a person sickly, thin and boney, greasy hair, dark circles under the eyes, sunken cheeks waxy
complexion, and a blank expression. Withdrawal symptoms are extremely painful. Withdrawal symptoms include
restlessness, aches and pains in the bones, diarrhea, vomiting and severe discomfort; none of the symptoms
sound at all pleasant.
-Mental/emotional: Heroin gives the user a “rush”. If the user does not get their rush they won’t feel normal. Over
time the user has to have more heroin to get that same rush and feel “normal”. Nothing will be more important to
the user but getting a rush.
-Social: Heroin is very addictive. When someone is done on one kick they will crave another right away. To pay
for their heroin people will resort to crime for money. They will steal from family and friends. Getting the euphoric
feeling will become the most important thing to that person. More important than their job, family, or friends. They
will throw away their lives for heroin.
-Legal consequences: Heroin is illegal. If found in a person’s possession they can be arrested.
8. Short-Term Effects
● Nervous System:
o it binds to opioid receptors in the brain and body
o in the brain stem the opioid receptors are what controls automatic process for life like breathing and heart beat
o they also control the perception pain and reward
o it is also a depressant
● Cardiovascular System:
o Slow cardiac system function
o irregular and or slowed heartbeat
● Digestive System:
o upset stomach can occur
● Respiratory System:
o breathing illness
○ slow breathing
9. Long-Term Effects
● Nervous System:
o building up a tolerance to heroin so a larger dosage is needed- lead to overdose
o withdrawal symptoms affect the system
● Cardiovascular System:
o weakened immune system
● Digestive System:
o near-permanent constipation
o loss of appetite
● Respiratory System:
o suppressed urge to cough which clears debris from the lungs
o susceptible to lung diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis
o smoking heroin can irritate and scar the linings of your respiratory tract
10. Medical Uses
There are no medical uses for heroin
There was a time though that heroin was
used to cure morphine addiction and
tuberculosis
11. Alcohol
Mixing alcohol and heroine is a deadly combination. When mixing these two
depressant drugs bad things happen. Heroin is a street drug which means that
the buyer does not know the strength of the particular package they are buying
so there is always the chance of overdose. Since these two drugs are
depressants mixing them means an increased chance of dying. Slowed or
irregular heartbeat, loss of concussions, slowed breathing, slipping into a coma,
tremors, damage to the brain are all consequences of mixing alcohol and
heroin.
12. Family & Society
Heroin can ruin a family. The user could steal from family
and friends to get money to buy heroin. The user will not
care about anything else but heroin and the rush they will
get by using it.