Download Narcotic Analgesics

Narcotic Analgesics
Kimberly Roemer
• Narcotics
• Narcotic analgesics are drugs that relieve pain, can
cause numbness, unconsciousness and sometimes
death.
• Opioid painkillers have become a major problem in
the US.
• All opioids have the potential to become addicting.
• Narcotics are naturally occurring substances that
come from the poppy.
• SAMHSA shows that using prescription opiods for non-medical reasons
raises the risk of heroin use.
• Heroin is a much cheaper drug than prescription opioids, as the cost for
opioids goes up due to increased amounts because of increased tolerance.
• People aged 12 to 49 who have used prescription pain relievers non-medically, are
19 times more likely to use heroin.
• Four out of five heroin users have used prescription pain medications that were
not prescribed to them.
HISTORY OF NARCOTICS
• The opium poppy has been cultivated for 6000 years.
• The Egyptians use dopium in over 700 other medications.
• Greek Gods were portrayed as carrying opium pods
• Arab traders introduced opium to China and India.
• By 1690, opium was being used for diversion and Chinese
Government outlawed the sale of opium in 1729.
• Penalty for use was decapitation or strangulation.
HISTORY, CONTINUED
• China banned importation of opium from, India.
• British companies encouraged opium.
• The Chinese government caused a conflict with Britain, which started the Opium war from
1839-1842. Britain won with 10,000 soldiers.
• In 1803 in America, Frederick Serturner extracted and partially purified active ingredients
in opium. It was 10x more potent than opium.
• In 1853, the hypodermic needle was invented and introduced it in Europe than America.
• Hypodermic needle was used during Civil War and soldiers were addicted to morphine.
• By 1900, 1 million Americans were addicted to opiates.
HISTORY, CONTINUED
• Harrison Narcotic Act was passed in 1914, which regulated opium, and cocoa leaves.
• Most addicts were women, who were wives and mothers. They bought opium legally by
mail through Sears.
• In 1898, diacetylmorphine was marketed as a cough suppressant.
• In 1924, heroin was banned from the US medical practice.
• In 1980s, smoking heroin instead of injecting it so as not to spread HIV.
SIDE EFFECTS
• There are many side effects when using opioid narcotics. They include,
drowsiness, constipation, a mental cloud, nausea ad vomiting, itching,
inability to urinate, a drop in blood pressure, suppressed breathing and
sometimes death.
• Narcotics are used for pain and addiction can be very quick. Once the
addiction sets in, the question becomes, how to get more pills.
Types of Narcotics
• Morphine- Has been used in medications since 1803. It has 12x the potency of
codeine.
• Fentanyls- Very potent narcotic, used for general surgery. Fentanyl can replace
heroin because if is cheap to obtain and easy to make.
• Hydromorphone- Also known as Dilaudid, which is stronger than morphine and used
to treat severe pain.
• Oxycodone- Longer lasting than OxyContin, used to treat severe pain. Very
addicting.
• Codeine- Treatment for moderate pain, many times used with another drug. Not a
very addictive drug, but it can happen.
• Tramadol- Synthetic form of opioids. Can be used as an anti-depressant.
• Nalaxone/Naltrexone- Used for recovering addicts. They block the effects of the
narcotics, so the client does not feel the withdrawal from the narcotics.
TREATMENT
• Very few people with heroin and other narcotic addictions, get help.
• Many people who do get treatment, don’t stay clean because the addiction is so
strong.
• For heroin addicts, many get addicted to the needle; therefor, they go back to using.
• In order for treatment to be successful, the client must quit using, get counseling and
most need to go on methadone, which is a synthetic substitute for heroin and other
narcotics. It helps reduce the withdrawal symptoms and helps the client feel
“normal”.
• Methadone has been used in treatment for over 30 years.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How do people become addicted to narcotics?
2. Why do you think so many people avoid treatment for their addictions?
3. With so many side effects of narcotics, why do you think people begin
using?
REFERENCES
• (2013). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 25(34), 7-8.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=090782d4-fd20-46bb-aa9b8f8dacfa6e01%40sessionmgr198&vid=2&hid=122
• Fleckenstein, A. Hanson, G. Venturelli, P. Drugs and Society, 252-277.