Opium Harvest
Places where opium is produced (shown in red)	Papaver somniferum
In 1973, scientists discovered that the brain had receptors foropiates. In other words, there are places on neurons that recognizeopiates. These receptors were located in parts of the brain important forbreathing, pain and emotions. The discovery of opiate receptors in thebrain raised the question as to why neurons would have such receptors. Twoyears later, scientists found the answer: the brain manufactures its ownopiates known as "endorphins." Endorphins are always in the brain, butthey are released in greater amounts when people and animals are in painor under stress.

History of the Opiates

Records indicate that opium was used by the ancientEgyptians, Greeks and Romans. The poppy even appears on Egyptian artdating back 6,000 years. Opium was imported to China around 800 A.D. Bythe 1600s, opium smoking was widespread throughout China. In 1680, afamous Englishphysician named Thomas Syndenham introduced opium to the medical field. In the 17th century, many people in Europe were treated for a varietyofhealth problems with opium. In 1729, opium smoking was made illegal inChina and soon the importation of opium was banned. This ban upset theBritish who were in charge of trading this valuable product. Opium wasstill smuggled into China and this caused the "Opium Wars" (1839-1842 and1856-1860) between the British and the Chinese.
In the US, opium was used to treat soldiers during the Civil War(1861-1865). During the late 1800s, doctors prescribed "tonics" containingopiates for many conditions. Rarely did these medicines list opiates asone of the ingredients. In fact, heroin was marketed as a cough medicineand a cure for morphine addiction. However, many physicians had concernsabout possible addiction to these medicines.

Important Dates in the History of Opiates 1803 - morphine was isolated from opium byFrederick Serturner. 1832 - codeine was extracted from opium. 1853 - the hypodermic needle was invented. 1874 - heroin was first produced from morphine. 1898 - The Bayer Company introduced heroin as asubstitute for morphine. 1906 - Pure Food and DrugsAct - required medicines to be labeled with the materials that theycontained. 1914 - HarrisonNarcotic Act - added a tax on opiate distribution. 1922 - Narcotic Import and Export Act - restrictedthe importation of crude opium except for medical use. 1924 - Heroin Act - made manufacture and possessionof heroin illegal. 1930 - Federal Bureau of Narcotics was created. 1970 - Controlled Substances Act was passed - divideddrugs into categories, set regulations and penalties for narcotics

Morphine

How Heroin is Used The purity of heroin can vary greatly. It can be mixed with powderedmilk, sugar, baking soda, procaine and lidocaine (local anesthetics) oreven laundry detergent, talc, starch, curry powder, Ajax cleaner orstrychinine. Heroin issmoked or inhaled as a powder or it can be mixed with water, heated, theninjected. Heroin crosses through the blood brain barrier100 times faster than morphine since it is highly soluble in lipids. Injecting heroin into a vein (intravenous use) produces effects in 7 to 8seconds. Injecting heroin into a muscle (intramuscular use) or underthe skin (subcutaneous use) can produceeffects in 5 to 8 minutes. Addicts sometimes inject themselves up to 4times in one day.

Effects of Heroin The overall effect of heroin is a depression of the central nervoussystem.

Short Term Effects

Analgesia (reduced pain) Brief euphoria (the "rush" or feeling of well-being) Nausea Sedation, drowsiness Reduced anxiety Hypothermia Reduced respiration; breathing difficulties Reduced coughing Death due tooverdose - often the exact purityand content of thedrug is not known to the user. An overdose can cause respiration problemsand coma

Long Term Effects

Tolerance:more and more drug is needed to produce the euphoria and other effectson behavior. Addiction: psychological andphysiological need for heroin. People are driven to get more heroin andfeel bad if they do not get it. People begin to crave heroin 4 to 6hours after their last injection. Withdrawal: About 8-12 hours after theirlast heroin dose, addicts' eyes tear, they yawn and feel anxious andirritable. Excessive sweating, fever, stomach and muscle cramps, diarrheaand chills can follow several hours later. These withdrawal symptoms cancontinue for 1 to 3 days after the last dose and can last 7 to 10 days. In some cases, full recovery can take even longer.

Other Effects

In addition to the direct dangers of heroin,this powerful drug also carries the risk of: HIV/AIDS - due to sharing of needles Poisoning - from the addition of toxin to the drug Hepatitis - liver damage Skin infections - from repeated intravenous injections Other bacterial and viral infections Increase risk of stroke Collapsed veins Lung infections

How Heroin Affects the Brain Not all of the mechanisms by which heroin and other opiates affect thebrain are known. Likewise, the exact brain mechanisms that causetolerance andaddiction are not completely understood. Opiates stimulate a"pleasure system" in the brain. This system involves neurons in themidbrain that use the neurotransmitter called "dopamine." These midbraindopamine neurons project to another structure called the nucleus accumbenswhich then projects to the cerebral cortex. This system is responsiblefor the pleasurable effects of heroin and for the addictive power of thedrug. Other neurotransmitter systems, such as thoserelated to endorphins, are also likely to be involved with withdrawal from and tolerance to heroin.

Treatment of Heroin Overdose and Addiction Behavioral Methods Heroin addiction is usually treated with bothmedical and behavioralmethods. Behavioral treatment might give rewards to people for negativedrug tests. Other treatments may attempt to change the drug-seekingbehavior of addicts. Naloxone People who overdose on heroin are given a drug called "naloxone."Naloxone is an opiate receptor blocker that binds to neurons so opiatescannot work. Methadone Methadone is a drug that blocksthe effects of heroin and has been used for several decades to treatheroin addiction. Methadone can be swallowed (rather than injected) andit blocks heroin withdrawal symptoms and does not have euphoric orsedative effects. LAAM LAAM(levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol) is a drug like methadone, but its effectslast longer. LAAM was approved by the US Food and Drug Administrationfor treating heroin addiction in 1993.

Liquid Methadone

For moreinformation on heroin, see: Addiction as adisease - PBS Close to Home Heroin Abuse inthe United States Heroin FAQs Heroin inthe Brain - from PBS Frontline HeroinThroughout History - from PBS Frontline Heroin- US Department of Justice Historical Review of opium/heroin production MethadoneMaintenance Opiates -from the "Mind overMatter" series produced by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Opiates/HeroinInformation Opium GrowingMaps and Trade Routes - PBS Frontline The drug photographs used on this page are courtesy of theIndiana Prevention Resource Center

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