Drug use seems to be a much more common every day. It seems like the number of people who are using and becoming addicted to drugs just keeps increasing. Perhaps if more people had more knowledge of drugs, their history and effects it would not be as bad. However, it does not always work that way. Many do know side effects of certain things and still choose to use. The use of drugs could very well be like a form of observational learning. Many people will pick something up once they have observed other people actively doing it. This idea works well with groups of individuals who are using a drug or substance around someone who has never used. That one individual may learn that behavior of using the substance, and how to use it by watching the …show more content…
More specifically, they come from opium, or the poppy plant (Addictions and Recovery). This is the same as a poppy seed that you find in or on your food products and for example, an everything bagel contains poppy seeds. It is in a way the same thing only consumed differently, in a different amount and obviously for different reasons. Synthetic opiates are manufactured with chemicals and are not completely natural. Their structures mimic that of the natural opiates and are created in laboratories (Synthetic Opiates List). Natural opium and synthetic opiates are mixed to create semi-synthetic opiates (Synthetic Opiates List). Basically, a true opiate would be directly derived from a poppy plant and contain natural opium alkaloids while both synthetic and semi-synthetic opiates are …show more content…
It is said that they had many different uses for it. Uses ranged from relaxing to calming a young child (History of Drug Abuse). It is also believed that Opium was not only used for medical purposes, but also for rituals. When used in rituals, it was used by magicians, priests, warriors and shamans (About Opiate Addiction). It was not until much later that people began using opiates recreationally. This occurred around the fourteenth century in the Middle East, fifteenth century in China and late in the 1800’s for the United States. Once the Chinese began immigrating to the United States, they brought Opium with them and introduced the Americans to abusing and depending on it (About Opiate Addiction). Another take on where opium came from originally is from London. It is also believed that opium was big in London, and introduced to America when it would be shipped overseas to settlers here in the United States (The history of drug). It seems safe to say that no one truly knows exactly where the use of opiates originated or when it did. History in this matter is just not clearly stated
The opium trade was incorporated to the China culture into the global market. During that period the economies of India, China and Britain were connected to one another in a trade that was one of the most important connection as a role in the global market. The opium trade started in the 17 century the drug was just shipped from Portuguese Goa in Portuguese and British ships, the opium was held by a monopoly who was controlled by the Dutch. Taking the opium in EIC vessels was really criticized by the directors of the London Company, for incurring losses and putting in danger legal forms of the famous Sino-British trade, since this drug was illegal in China. The EAST INDIA COMPANY by regulating and restricting production,
According to CDC in the year 2015 opioids played a part in 33,091 deaths. Now you may ask what an opioid is. An Opioid is a compound that binds to opioid receptors in the body to reduce the amount of pain. There are four main categories of opioids, one being natural opioid analgesics including morphine and codeine, and semi synthetic opioid analgesics, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone. The second category being methadone, a synthetic opioid, the third category being synthetic opioid analgesics other than methadone includes tramadol and fentanyl. The last category is an illicit opioid that is synthesized from morphine called heroin.
Opium was first used mainly for medical purposes before the 17th century, the transition from a recreational drug was marked by the change from swallowing the compound raw, to mixing it with tobacco and smoking it (Chang 1964). Although the morphine component...
A common recreational drug that is illegally dealt is Heroin. To many this drug is known by a few slang/street names, some being; smack, brown stone and junk (Tracy, 2012). Heroin is a highly addictive opiate that caused many different issues regarding physical and mental health. It can be consumed in 3 different ways: snorting, injecting and smoking. The original purpose of heroin is far different then the purpose that it is used for today in society. In 1874, heroin was first produced from morphine and 24 years later began its journey in the field of medicine to help morphine addicted patients (Scott, 1998). After use of the medicine it became present that the drug was just as addictive as morphine and was in turn creating patients to become addicted to the new drug. In 1902, doctors ceased the use of heroin in the medical field and a few years following, 8 years later, the first case of a heroin addict was admitted to a hospital for treatment (Scott, 1998). The drug is no longer used for a medical purposes but is still present in the legal drug selling market. Many countries have stiff penalties if caught in possession of or are selling heroin, because this drug is listed as a Class A drug (“Opium, Morphine, Heroin”, n.d.).
Almost overnight one such venerable substance (or class of substances) has been catapulted into the national spotlight: prescription painkillers, namely those derived from the opium poppy. This class of analgesic encompasses everything from the codeine in prescription cough syrup to the morphine used in the management of sever pain. These compounds are commonly referred to as opiates and are produced naturally by the poppy. The sub-class of this type that has gotten all of the attention recently is the opioids, which are semi-synthetic compounds derived from the opiates (Wade 846). Opioids were developed for a variety of reasons, such as reducing the cost of production (morphine is expensive to synthesize) and attempting to reduce the addictiveness of the drugs.
Opium, the first opioid, is derived from the sap of opium poppies, whose growth and cultivation dates back to the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia around 3400 BC. Egyptians and Persians initially used opium. Eventually spreading to various parts of Europe, India, China, and the Middle East. During the 18th century, physicians in the U.S. used opium as a therapeutic agent for multiple purposes, including relieving pain in cancer, spasms from tetanus, and pain attendant to menstruation and childbirth. It was merely towards the end of the 18th century that some physicians came to recognize the addictive quality of opium.
People may not always know the exact consequences of the drug they are taking, however, chances are that they do know that the drug is unhealthy for them. Schools across the country educate about the dangers of drug use and abuse through programs like D.A.R.E., television stations show anti-drug advertisements as a public service, and even city buses blazon anti-drug propaganda. People are aware that very rarely does anything good come from drug use, and still, everyday people fall victim to drugs. Why do people succumb to the urge to try drugs? It feels good...why else?
Morphine is effective pain medication used in hospitals and prescribed by physicians for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is used for treatment for both acute and chronic long term pain management. Morphine is an opiate analgesic derived from opium. Opium is obtained from the natural growing opium poppy plant (papavera somniferum) by scraping the unripe seed capsule, and then collecting and drying the rubbery exudates. Morphine acts directly on the central nervous system to decrease the feeling of pain. Morphine has both positive beneficial effects and negative effects. Tolerance to morphine happens rapidly, requiring more of the drug to achieve the desired pain relief effect and feelings of euphoria make abuse and addiction
The poppy plants produce natural opiates. An opiate is defined as the drug derived from the opium poppy and are found in the milky substance extracted from the unripe seeds. The opiates are the best known narcotics. There are twenty different alkaloids derived from the opiates. Codeine and Morphine are the ones that are still in widespread use today. Codeine is a milder form of morphine and both are used today in the medical field for relieving pain.
An estimated 3.7 million people had used heroin at some time in their life, as of 2005. Over 119,000 of the people surveyed reported using it within the month preceding the survey. Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is the most abused and quickest way to get a high from the opiates. An opiate is a drug with morphine-like effects, derived from opium. Heroin comes from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants. Heroin can be in the form of white or brownish powder, or a black sticky substance known as “black tar heroin.” Purer heroin is becoming more popular on the streets. Most of the street heroin is “cut,” or laced, with other drugs or substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Quinine is a bitter crystalline compound present in cinchona bark, used as a tonic and formerly as an ant malarial drug. Most heroin abusers do not know the actual strength or content of the drug which puts them at a greater risk of overdose or death.
Opium was introduced to America when Chinese immigrants came to California in the 1850’s to work in the gold mines and on the railroads (DEA Museum). It didn’t take long for American’s to become addicted to opium. Opium dens became common in communities and women and young people started to take pleasure in the far off land of euphoria that opium provided. Due to the overgrowing popularity and concern of the affects this drug had taken on the population the government tried to implement taxes. “Initially, opium was taxed, then licensed, then discouraged, and ultimately made illegal for most us...
Opiates: Opiates are found in opium poppies. The major opiates found in opium are morphine, codeine, thebaine, and papaverine. The semi-synthetic drugs are heroin, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. Opiates can be injected, snorted, or smoked. “The short-term effect of opiate abuse consists of a surge of euphoria coupled with a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and heavy extremities. Following initial euphoria”
Historically, opium was a drug that was used to ease pain during surgeries such as tooth pulling and amputations (Cowell). “Opium is produced from the opium poppy, a flowering plant native to Turkey.” It contains a latex solution, which is raw opium and includes morphine and other alkaloids. Raw opium can be eaten or diluted in a liquid, but it is usually boiled then dried so it can be smoked. The opium trade began due to a loss of British silver from the Americas. The Chinese were only exporting goods to Britain and not importing any goods, causing Britain to lose most of its silver. Britain decided to sell the addicting opium, grown in present-day India and Pakistan, to China. As more people became addicted to the drug, the more China had to buy from Britain, and the more silver Britain got back from the Chinese. In 19th century China, there were merits and demerits to the opium trade. “They [The Legalizers of Opium] argued that legalization would generate tax revenues and they believed prohibition was expensive and strengthened the feared lower bureaucracy. The ...
When most people think about what narcotics are they think of, painkillers. What is a narcotic? A narcotic is, a drug or substance that affects mood and behavior, they also help with pain. When this happens, receptor sites for endorphins and neurotransmitters deaden pain sensations naturally. They also slow down the nervous system, so when used with alcohol they can become deadly.(Ciccarelli. & White.,2012, pg 151). Also they were derived from the opium poppy.(Ciccarelli. & White.,2012, pg 151). Which narcotics can be given for medical reasons but they are mostly used illegally. According to the (American Addiction Center,2018) opium poppy is a natural growing substance, but with chemicals and other materials included, makes it synthesized
Illegal drugs are used by people as a way out when feeling down about themselves. As the effects of the drugs may stay the same throughout, causes show that there are a large number of reasons for use. Being lonely, isolated, and frustrated in life help start off the drive to escape. In many cases, using drugs is a coping mechanism, especially in teens. Emotions become numb as people try to escape the pain of reality. This is seen in the youth of today as they deal with everyday pressures.. Drug abuse can make people think they are re-creating their former negative self image. This rebellious action gives the attention that is desired. From trying to fit in to hiding from problems, people will always have a choice. In the end, the reality of drug use is damaging to the user's body, mind and relationships.