Last Updated on August 26, 2018 by Keisha Mclean-Green

You’ve heard about it. You may have even been offered some by your peers or friends. But what exactly is heroin? Where does it come from? What makes it so dangerous? And how is it used?

According to research compiled by WebMD, heroin is made from the resin of a flower called the opium poppy, which is indigenous to Asia, Mexico, and South America. It can look like a white or brown powder, or black tar. It is also referred to as brown sugar, horse, hunk, and smack.

Heroin was first manufactured by a German company called Bayer pharmaceutical in 1898. When first created, heroin was categorized as a treatment for tuberculosis and a remedy for morphine addiction. However, its status soon changed.

Heroin’s History

Throughout the 1850s, the United States was immersed in a major opium addiction epidemic. In an effort to curb the outbreak, addicts were provided with a less potent and “non-addictive” substitute—morphine. It soon became apparent that the original idea of morphine being non-addictive was incorrect. Morphine addiction rapidly became a larger issue than opium addiction.

The same method of using a less potent and “non-addictive” substance to replace the morphine led to the widespread use of heroin. As heroin use exploded, it was treated by yet another “non-addictive” drug known as methadone.

In 1937, German scientists developed methadone while seeking a surgical painkiller. Exported to the United States, it there received the name “Dolophine” in 1947 before later being renamed methadone. During its general use as a cure for heroin addiction, it proved to be even more addictive that heroin! By the end of the 1990s, the death rate of heroin addicts was guessed to be as large as 20x that of the rest of the population.

Currently the most effective way to treat heroin addiction is using a cbd tincture. CBD tinctures are liquid extracts combining CBD-rich hemp oil and vegetable glycerin, ethanol, or other type of nutritious oil. It is truly a non-addictive substance that provides pain relieve and aids in sleep while going through heroin withdrawal.

The Dangers of Using

Heroin can be smoked, snorted, or injected. It is most commonly injected into the user’s vein to achieve the quickest high, and this is also the most dangerous way to use. The injection makes overdose and infection much more likely.

The immediate sensation after consumption is a rush of happiness and good feelings. Heroin puts the user in a distorted state where they feel as if the world has slowed. Mental and physical reactions diminish. To some the sensation is dreamlike.

A single dose of heroin is strong enough to trigger cravings, which can rapidly spiral to full blown substance addiction. Regular use of the drug has adverse side effects that include:

• Skin infections
• Transfer of hepatitis and HIV/AIDS
• Collapsed veins
• Lung diseases
• Infection of the heart lining and valves

The impact of heroin is still a nation-wide problem. It has been identified as the most significant drug abuse issue affecting regions from coast to coast. Our local community is not the exception to this trend. In fact, Charlotte and the surrounding areas are fighting a heroin addiction epidemic.

Many people experiment with heroin thinking they can try it with no consequence, but this is one of the biggest myths believed by millions. It is the gateway to addiction. Get the facts before you act; it can save your life.

Reference: Dimensions Recovery Centers Los Angeles addiction treatment.