THE EFFECTS OF DRUG AND ADDICTION

Effects of Drug and Addiction

Effects of Drug and Addiction

Drug addiction has become a very destructive element in our society. So when does the social use of a drug become an abuse? The effects of drugs depend on whether they are used moderately or abused. Almost no one ever starts using with the intentions of becoming 'hooked'. Addiction may be defined as the continuing, compulsive nature of a drug despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and those around them. Addictive drugs are basically pain killers; they chemically kill physical or emotional pain and alter the minds perception of reality. The difference between an addict and a non-addict is that the addict has chosen drugs as a solution to their unwanted problem or discomfort. There are a number of reasons and excuses why people begin to use drugs and when they do they usually do not know the consequences or what exactly they are getting themselves into. Two known and highly addictive drugs are Heroin and Cocaine. Once the user begins to use heroin or cocaine they put themselves at risk for short and long term effects of the drug.

The market for heroin persists until this very day. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian Poppy plant. It usually appears and sold as a white or brown powder but also can be sold as a hypodermic tablet. "Many addicts need between $20 - $50 per day or more in order to purchase heroin for their levels of addiction." (book ) As for cocaine it was first extracted from the Cocoa plant in the 19th century and was at first announced as the miracle drug. Before this was known Andean Indians had long chewed the leaves of the Cocoa plant to decrease hunger and increase their stamina for work. By the 1880's in the United States it was freely prescribed by physicians for such maladies as exhaustion, depression, and morphine addiction. After users and physicians became aware of the dangers of the drug its use decreased and by the 1920 physicians had stopped using it. Before both Heroin and Cocaine were prohibited between the late 1800's and early 1900's the drug companies of that day began manufacturing Drug Kits. These kits contained a "glass barreled hypodermic needle and vials of morphine and/or cocaine packaged ...