Heroin

(diacetylmorphine)

Definition: Heroin is a highly addictive, semi synthetic opioid drug made from processed morphine, which is  a natural substance extracted from the seed pods of a certain opium poppy plant.

Appearance: It would look like either white, brown, or black powder depending on where it originated.

Usage:

• Injection: The substance is dissolved into a liquid form and is injected directly into the blood stream, a muscle, or beneath the skin.
• Inhalation: The substance is heated causing a vapour or smoke which  can be inhaled into the lungs.
• Insufflation: The powder is inhaled through the nose, where it is absorbed across the mucus membrane.

“What influences adolescents/teenagers to use drugs and why?”

Personal: They might be experiencing mental health struggles like anxiety or depression, self satisfaction, o r is curious about what the drug does.

Interpersonal: They might’ve been peer pressured, trying to fit in with friends, or they are mimicking behaviors that they picked up from their family or romantic partners.

Societal: They might’ve been influenced by the social media glorifying the use of drugs, cultural norm, or because of the easy accessibility of these drugs.

 

The POSITIVES and  The NEGATIVES

Positives:

• Physical: Medical derivatives of diamorphine (heroine) is primarily used for its highly effective therapeutic properties like rapid and  round pain relief for acute trauma, post surgical recovery, or terminal illnesses. It can also suppress severe coughing and reduce breathlessness in palliative care patients.
• Emotional: By lessening excruciating physical pain, it induces a short term state of relaxation, calmness, and relief from the distress or panic caused by the severe illness.
• Social: When severe pain is managed, patients often have a much better intellectual capacity to focus on tasks or comfortably engage with family or peers which is impossible during a pain crisis.

Negatives:

• Physical:

Short Term Effects: Causes drowsiness, slurred speech, nausea, constipation, slowed breathing, and severe constipation. An overdose can cause respiratory failure, coma, and death.

Long Term Effects: Leads to severe physical tolerance which means requiring a higher dose for the same effect and intense physical dependence on the drug. Inhaling the drug can cause damage to the organ systems, hormonal imbalance, and can lead to infectious diseases if  handled unsafely outside a medieval setting.

• Emotional:

Short Term Effects: The initial euphoria will be followed up by an emotional numbness, apathy, or sudden mood changes as the drugs effects wear off.

Long Term Effects: It can result in a profound emotional instability. When not under the influence, individuals are often experiencing severe anxiety, depression, and paranoia. The fear of withdrawal symptoms creates a cycle of physcollogic distress.

• Social:

Short Term Effects: Causes the individual to avoid social interaction due to extreme sedation.

Long Term Effects: Destroys relationship with families and friends due to secrecy, behavioural changes or a neglect of responsibilities. It frequently