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April 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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Heroin slows down
the function of the
lungs, which is how an
overdose ultimately
results in the death of a
heroin user.
Heroin Seriously Impacts
Vital Organs
Highly addictive drug can damage
heart, brain, lungs
By Dr. Tom Miller, Staff Writer
No matter
how good it
can feel, heroin
is toxic to vital
organs. Heroin
is illegal for good reason. It is a highly
addictive drug processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance
extracted from the seed pod of certain
varieties of poppy plants. It is typically
sold as a white or brownish powder
with a bitter taste. The powder is “cut”
with sugars, starch, powdered milk or
quinine. Pure heroin predominantly
originates in South America and, to
a lesser extent, from Southeast Asia,
and dominates U.S. markets east of the
Mississippi River.
Pure heroin can be snorted or
smoked. That may be more appealing
to new users because it eliminates the
stigma often associated with injection.
Black tar heroin is sticky like roofing
tar and is predominantly produced
in Mexico. The dark color associated
with black tar heroin results from
crude processing methods that leave
behind impurities. Impure heroin is
usually dissolved, diluted and injected
into veins or muscles.
According to the National Survey
on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH),
close to 700,000 Americans report
using heroin annually. The number
of people using heroin for the first
time (156,000) is unacceptably high.
However, heroin use has been declining among teens aged 12 to 17.
What are the risks of using heroin
at any age? The brain, heart, lungs and
kidneys are all at risk for serious and
irreversible damage.
A person’s ability to cognitively
process information that affects all
systems of the human body are at risk
with heroin use. Most abusers do not
realize heroin abuse damages the brain.
Brain damage