Narcotics: Opiates, Heroin, etc,

What are narcotics?
Some of the drugs that depress the Central Nervous System are called Narcotics. Such drugs include heroin, vicadin, soma, opium, codeine, morphine, oxycontin, demerol, darvon, percodan, and others. Of the Narcotics mentioned, heroin is the one adolescents are most fond of.

Where does it come from?
Opium, morphine and heroin all come from the opium poppy and belong to a group of drugs called opiates. In pure form, heroin is a fine, white, crystalline powder. However, it is usually sold on the streets as a brown powder or dark brown chunk.

How is it used?
Heroin can be smoked, snorted through the nose, or injected. The paraphernalia are similar to those mentioned in the stimulants section for snorting and injecting the drug. Because heroin is more potent today, it does not have to be injected. As a result, more and more adolescents are using this drug.

What are the street names?
The street names for heroin are as follows: "horse", "smack", "chiva", "black tar", and "junk" to name a few. Nonetheless, this drug is very addicting and comes with possibly more negative side effects than positive side effects, many of which are physical.

What are the effects opiates sold on the street?
SHORT - TERM EFFECTS
· Euphoria
· sense of emotional detachment
· absence of pain and stress
· altered mood and mental processes
· sleepiness
· vomiting
· loss of appetite
· reduced sex drive
· itchy skin
· increased urination
· sweating
· inability to concentrate
· impaired vision
· death

LONG - TERM EFFECTS
· mental and physical health problems
· severe constipation
· contracted pupils
· moodiness
· menstrual irregularities
· lung, liver, kidney and brain damage
· collapsed veins from injecting the drug
· loss of weight
· reduction of sex hormone levels
· frequent infections
· pregnancy complications including still birth
· death

Opiate dependence occurs very rapidly, sometimes within weeks. Once your child becomes addicted to heroin, they will continue to use the drug not only for the purpose of intoxication, but too avoid the painful withdrawal symptoms that naturally come with opiate addiction.

What are the withdrawal symptoms?
The general withdrawal symptoms include insomnia, severe anxiety, profuse sweating, muscle spasms, and diarrhea. This onset can occur five hours after the last dose, lasting seven to ten days. Medical treatment is necessary for detoxifying the body of a heroin user before counseling can take place. Withdrawal from heroin is extremely painful and dangerous, and this is why medical intervention is needed.

To read an article from the Sacramento Bee & Jon Daily regarding "420" click here "420"

To read an article from the Sacramento Bee on Inhalants click here

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