Section 1: Introduction

This section intrudces the learner to a

The Unrelenting Effects of Heroin Addiction

Among all known kinds of opiates around the world, heroin is the most widely abused and highly addictive substance in society today. Heroin is made from morphine, which is an innate component derived from the seed pod of specific varieties of poppy plants. Heroin is usually available in the form of white powder that is bitter in taste. These common types of heroin is usually sold on the streets in small amounts.There are also certain types of heroin that appear as black or dark brown. Its variation in color is caused by the impurities that are left behind from the manufacturing process or from the mere incorporation of other foreign additives. On the other hand, the kind of heroin that is black in color is called "black tar," which is available mainly in the Western and Southern parts of the U.S.

Heroin Abuse in America

It is specifically stated in the 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) that there is an estimated population of 3.5 million Americans from 12 years old and above that is determined to have tried using heroin at least once in their life. The 2005 NSDUH survey also revealed that there were 108,000 persons aged 12 or older who said that they used heroin for the first time during the past twelve months. Furthermore, a separate survey, which is in line with the 2006 Monitoring the Future study showed that 1.4 percent of students who are in the eight, tenth, and twelfth grades are involved with lifetime use of heroin. This kind of figure is primarily rooted on the convenience and ease of acquiring heroin supplies from various underground dealers. As a matter of fact, the survey has also determined that 17.4 percent of tenth graders and 27.4 percent of twelfth graders said that obtaining supplies of heroin is "very easy." This utmost convenience to acquire heroin shows not only how lax the government's rule over illegal drugs but also implies a greater risk for heroin addiction among Americans.

Putting Your Health at Stake

Heroin's immediate effects are intense and instantaneous. Upon administering it to the body through intravenous injection, a certain "rush" is immediately experienced by the user followed by a certain feeling of euphoria and security. These short term effects are typically evanescent in nature, quickly disappearing for a couple of hours. What is quite disturbing is its long-term effects which range from infection of heart lining to various liver diseases. The only feasible way to stay away from these vile after-effects is to completely steer away from using heroin or to undergo a very effective drug treatment program.

sources: http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/drugfact/heroin/index.html http://www.infoimagination.org/ps/drug_war/heroin/index.html http://www.drugstory.org/drug_info/heroin.asp