Opiates are derived from the opium poppy plant and are highly addictive. Addiction can occur after just one use and withdrawal symptoms can be severe, including muscle pain, vomiting, and even coma or death. Prescription painkillers like morphine, oxycodone, and codeine work by blocking opioid receptors in the brain to dull pain, but carry risks of overdose and addiction. Heroin is made from morphine and causes euphoria and other effects, but can also lead to death from overdose or infections from injection.

1. Produced from the milk of the Opium
Poppy plant that grows in Europe
and Asia

2. Effects of Opiates
• Most Highly Addictive of All Families of Drugs
– Produce very strong high and strong tolerance
– Addiction can occur from just ONE use
• Strong withdrawal symptoms
– Muscle pain, vomiting, cramps, shaking, chills,
panic attacks and even, COMA/ DEATH
– Breaking addiction usually require a slow gradual
decrease in the amount of the drug (Weening)

3. PRESCRIBED NARCOTICS
PAIN KILLERS
• Schedules vary..
• Morphine = 2
– Schedule 1 in Canada
• Percocet = 2
• Vicodin = 2
• Oxycontin = 2
• Darvocet = 4
HOW THEY WORK
Block the Opioid Receptors
in brain and dull pain
*Some also treat coughing
and intestinal problems
• Fentanyl = 2
• Codeine = 2
• Dilaudid = 2
• Demoral = 2
• Darvon = 4
**In 2003, prescription pain
meds were involved in
more overdose deaths
than heroin and cocaine
combined

4. • MORPHINE • PERCOCET

5. • VICODIN or
HYDROCODONE
• OXYCONTIN or
OXYCODONE

6. • DARVOCET • FENTANYL

7. • CODEINE • DILAUDID

8. • DARVON • DEMOROL

9. • HEROIN
– Schedule 1 Classification
– Developed in 1898 in Germany to be used as a
painkiller
– Made from Morphine (from Opium Plant)
– Cause Euphoria, sleepiness, warm feeling in skin,
shallow breathing, nausea
vomiting, DEATH
– Can be snorted or smoked
– Most commonly INJECTED
• Scarring, open wounds, infections (HIV, Hepatitis)