| Heroin, also known as diamorphine, was used in the | | | | States and Canada, and a Class A substance in the |
| old days as a cough medicine (antitussive), until it was | | | | United Kingdom, which means possession of the |
| discovered that people all across America were | | | | substance can carry hefty prison sentences. |
| getting addicted to it, and even dying from it. Such | | | | Overdose of heroin is extremely dangerous and can |
| deaths were caused by some of the many side | | | | easily kill the user depending on how much they have |
| effects of heroin, such as respiratory depression and | | | | taken, and how much their body is used to. Effects |
| lack of consciousness. Although heroin has medical | | | | can include muscle weakness, lack of consciousness |
| uses such as a powerful analgesic, antitussive and | | | | and respiratory depression; these effects can, in the |
| antidiarrheal, its illicit production worldwide is a major | | | | modern world, often be reversed by the opioid |
| concern for world governments. | | | | antagonists naloxone and naltrexone. The side effect |
| The main reason for recreational use of Heroin is the | | | | profile of Heroin is one of the most severe and |
| euphoria and relaxation it causes. The euphoria is | | | | life-threatening, so it is no surprise that heroin is one |
| extremely intense and many users report a distinct | | | | of the most dangerous substances on the planet. |
| 'rush' that occurs when taking it. Users administer | | | | Yet so many people continue to use the drug, paying |
| heroin either by intravenous injection (IV), smoking or | | | | up to $200 per gram for the substance. The main |
| even snorting. Smoking heroin is sometimes | | | | producers of heroin are: Mexico, Colombia, Iran, |
| colloquially called Chasing the Dragon. Most addicts | | | | Afghanistan, Pakistan, Burma and Thailand. The drug |
| prefer heroin over other opioids such as codeine, | | | | is then trafficked through the many drug trafficking |
| oxycodone, hydromorphone or fentanyl, and heroin is | | | | routes worldwide to finally reach the users in the rich |
| both the most harmful and most addictive of all | | | | west. |
| these drugs. Heroin is a Schedule I drug in the United | | | | |