Tiff any ChoJuan BuenoKevin BonillaPeriod 6

HEROIN

What is Heroin? How is it administered?

Heroin is an opioid drug that is a chemically altered form of morphine.

Heroin is not grown. In fact, it comes from the dried milk of the opium poppy, a flower that grows in South America, Asia, and Mexico. In brief, heroin is created by processing opium poppies.

It is sold in three distinct forms: 1) black tar heroin 2) brown powder heroin 3) white powder heroin

Heroin can be swallowed, snorted, injected, or smoked. Snorting, smoking, or sniffing deliver the drug to the brain very rapidly,

which contributes to its health risks and high risk for addiction. When heroin is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are usually felt within ten

to fifteen minutes. Heroin is highly addictive and extremely easy to overdose on.

Who Uses It?

Today, the people most likely to get hooked on heroin are men and women in their late twenties and teenagers living outside large urban areas.

The increase of usage is evident among young adults aged 18 to 25 and adults aged 26 and older.

Study results showed that 75% of the more recent users of heroin said they were first introduced to opioids through prescription drugs.

Top Figure: 1 in 15 people who take non medical prescription pain relievers will try heroin within 10 years.

Left Graph: Number of people who abused or were dependent on pain medications and percentage of them that use heroin.  Pie charts show in 2004 1.4 million people abused or were dependent on pain medications and 5% used heroin. In 2010, 1.9 million people abused or were dependent on pain medications and 14% used heroin.

Right Top Graph:  Heroin users are 3 times as likely to be dependent.  

Right Bottom Graph:  In 2005 there were less than 200,000 emergency room visits related to heroin. By 2011 this number had increased to roughly 260,000.

Info taken directly from www.drugabuse.gov

LEGAL CONSEQUENCES

Federal Penalties:• First Time Possession Charge • 1 yr. in prison• $5,000 fine

• Second Time Possession Charge • 2 yrs. In prison• $10,000 fine

• First Time Sale or Manufacture Charge • Maximum 15 yrs. in prison• $25,000 fine

• Second Time Sale or Manufacture Charge • 30 yrs. in prison• $50,000 fine

Info taken directly from www.legalmatch.com

More Serious Issues of Heroin/Drug Abuse

• People could lose their jobs because they can’t stay

sober long enough to work

• Participate in crime to finance their addiction

• Increased risk for serious health issues

• Poor living conditions

• The Truth About Heroin

Withdrawal Symptoms

Feelings of panic Sleeplessness Chills and sweats Muscle Fatigue and Pains Stomach cramps Nausea

What are the Short-Term Effects? "Rush”/Euphoria/Feeling of being “high”

Drowsiness

Constipation

Depressed respiration

Loss of memory

Nausea and/or vomiting

Distorted mental functioning

WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS? Addiction/Abuse Coma Death Rheumatologic problems

Arthritis

Bacterial Infections Blood Clots Scars

Many who are addicted to heroin inject the drug into their bodies using needles. Over time, the needle marks can turn into permanent scars.

Endocarditis inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and

heart valves

Infectious Diseases HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis B and C between heroin users who share

needles

1) What plant is heroin made from?

2) Heroin is a highly addictive drug that is a chemically altered form of _______.

3) List and explain one long-term effect of heroin abuse.

4) What time intervals do the peak effects of heroin intake usually occur?

5) Give an example of an infectious disease that can occur as a result of unsafe heroin consumption. How does one contract that disease?

What have you learned?

WORKS CITED http://

www.narconon.org/drug-information/heroin-information.html

https://sites.google.com/site/ppl10drugassignmentheroin/legal-status-consequences

http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/heroin-state-and-federal-penalties.html

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin http://www.drugs.com/illicit/heroin.html http://

kidshealth.org/kid/grow/drugs_alcohol/know_drugs_heroin.html