subject: Heroin Addiction - History And Treatment [print this page] Heroin was first created in the late 1800s by a German chemist. It was originally meant to be a non-addictive pain reliever and, ironically, a drug to help people recover from morphine addiction. Heroin, like morphine, is an opium derivative. Opium has been used since before 3000 B.C. when it began being cultivated from the opium poppy seed in Mesopotamia.
After the creation of heroin in the nineteenth century,the world soon realized that heroin was just as, if not more, addictive than morphine. Heroin metabolizes quickly into morphine in the body. By the early 1900s, heroin addiction was rising at an alarming rate. Congress banned opium by 1905 and in 1914, the Harrison Act was passed and heroin became a federally regulated substance. The Act made heroin use illegal without a medical prescription. Yet, it was too late. By the 1920s an estimated 200,000 Americans were struggling with heroin addiction and an underground world of heroin smuggling, selling, and drug addiction was being built.
To further buckle down on illegal drug use, Congress classified heroin as a controlled substance in 1970, making it illegal for street use but still available to physicians for medical use and treatment. Essentially, the classification recognized that heroin could cause addiction and dependency-related problems and was a threat to the general public. The threat was so strong that possession of street heroin in large quantities of more than 100 grams carried a mandatory five-year prison sentence.
Heroin addiction has serious consequences and can result in serious health complications, including death. Heroin users are at an increased risk of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS; hepatitis; liver, kidney, and heart disease; pneumonia and other respiratory conditions; permanent damage to vital organs; pregnancy complications and damage to the fetus; and risk of accidental overdose resulting in death.
Advanced drug and alcohol treatment centers are available with modern technology and integrative programs that can address all aspects of a users heroin addiction. These programs address the emotional, physical, psychological, and neurological functions combined so that the patient can make a complete and sustainable recovery. State of the art brain scan technologies and neuropsychological tests can determine chemical imbalances in the body and help to develop an individualized treatment plan for each patient. Medically administered detoxification is the first step in the process. Treatment for heroin addiction usually combines medications such as methadone or buprenorphine along with behavioral therapies and other medical support services.
If you or someone you know is struggling with a heroin addiction, seek help today. For a successful and sustainable recovery from heroin addiction, an advanced drug and rehab facility devoted to neuroscience technology and integrative care is recommended.
