The Origins of Heroin
Opiates Are Natural Substances with Addictive Pain Relief Qualities
Apr 18, 2008
Heroin is a semi-synthetic opium derivative initially discovered in the 1870s. It became more widely known when it was rediscovered by Bayer Pharmaceuticals of Germany in 1898 during research into the manufacturing of codeine for pain relief medications. Heroin was actually marketed as a children's cough suppressant and a cure for morphine addiction until it was discovered that heroin is converted by the liver into morphine.
The History of Opium
Opium is isolated from the seed pods of poppy plants, Papaver somniferum L., by cutting the immature pods and collecting a latex-like liquid that oozes from them. It is dried and the compounds, including codeine, morphine, and opium, can be isolated. The plants are cultivated all over the world including Canada, Europe, and particularly Asia.
Prior to the discovery of its pharmaceutical derivatives, opium was smoked in the opium dens of Europe, much like alcohol is consumed in bars today. Laudanum, once heralded as a wonder cure, was an alcohol mixture of opium. The plant has recreational uses dating back to fifteenth century China where opium poppies were initially grown for such uses. There are still opium wars occurring in Middle East poppy fields today due to the financial gains of the worldwide use of its derivatives.
Besides recreational uses, dried opium was also previously used as an astringent, sedative, expectorant, and aphrodisiac. It was used to treat toothaches and coughs, much like codeine in more recent decades. However, some species of poppy plants do not produce opioids and many other parts are considered non-narcotic. Poppy seeds are used on baked goods and poppy seed oil is used in the manufacture of varnishes and soaps. Although these mature plant parts do not have the intoxicating effects of the milky substance, it is often important to note if poppy seeds have been ingested prior to a drug screening as it could interfere with the results.
Drug Legislation
Heroin is controlled on an international level under Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It is illegal to manufacture, possess, or sell heroin in the United States and the UK. However, it is marketed as a legal prescription drug in the United Kingdom under the name diamorphine, which is used for the treatment of chronic pain and cancer patients. The United States also offers similar pharmaceuticals including codeine, methadone, and morphine, as many prescription pain relievers on the market today are opioids, derivatives of the same base chemical as heroin.
The United States legislated heroin as prescription only in 1914 and then banned its sale altogether in 1924. The 1970 Controlled Substances Act named heroin a schedule I drug, which is the same status it holds in Canada and Hong Kong, and it is a Class A drug in Canada requiring proof of prescription and medical need.
Physical Effects of Drug Use
Due to its intravenous use, heroin addicts are at an-risk population for blood-borne diseases. This subset of the population continues to be at a high risk for HIV transmission and was the first group to be reported to be infected with the community strain of MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium. This group is extremely susceptible to skin infections.
With the use of opiates there is a risk for tolerance and addiction, which leads to unintentional overdoses. The CDC released data from 2005 indicating that poisoning, 70% of which were attributed to drug overdoses, was the second leading cause of death that year. One of the leading drugs was methadone, an opioid prescribed for pain relief.
The chemicals also induce constipation, decreased kidney function, and physical dependence. Ceasing the use of the compounds can result in severe withdrawal symptoms. There is also psychological dependence that may develop for those taking the medication derivatives for chronic pain.
(Part 1 of the series: The Origins of Marijuana)
(Part 3: The Origins of Psychedelics)
