From My Personal Experience  !!!

Narcotics have been a heavy substance at present in the international market . And wit me being Indian , Im proud India is a bit brilliant in narcotic issues . narcotics are Less told and More sold here . I being a reasearcher of Medicine was also a occasional user of narcotics during my college days . But the glamour behind the story is ……………i Lost interest , sorry i lost my personality at first then my character a bit tooo…..Its not just that there are more harms ……Frankly speakin i have had just some weed bfore and thats not the end …..i was a occasional user too . I had a gr8 fren from US who use to do most of the drugs on the plane. But now he has stopped all ….not bcoz he was told to , He realized and changed a lot ……………….All bcoz of a guy we met in the streets ….he was a middleaged man from souther parts of India …he wore a dress wit rags and rails all over it …….he had a body lookin lean like a Anorexia patient …….then he stood some 6 ft tall from the ground ………….and was talkin in english to my suprise ….bcoz he looked more bad than a normal Beggar in the country …..i asked him where are u from …..he quickly answered “can i have some money !!! some 10 rs will do ” ……….on those days we lived bachelor lives (no money but waiting for honey ) ……But still i paid a sum of 20 to him he said thanks happily …………….and then said his story…………………….He was Mr.X a son of a very famous businessman in the state of kerala ………he was 38 at that time …………..he has spend almost all the money which his father has left behind by the help of a few bad frens ……………… he was 20 when he was drugged first wit the help of few frens ……..then he was obsessed wit it when he was just 21 and he has been a regular drug addict from that day …….He has lost his frstrated father when he was 24 and then had no good marks to passs………….failed in studies …….got married at 28 ……failed in marriage when he was 30 doubting on his beautiful and tolerating wife ………………………no kids too………..failed in money making and had no money to save …………..got loans from almost all the banmks and atlast was in road………………..he has lost everything in his life including his mother but has gained a lot a bad names ………..After having a small chat wit him …..we came home and my fren like almost cried and told me he will never use drugs again in his life ……………And atlast he did it STOPPED EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!……………………ALL THE DRUGS HE KNEW……AND NOW HE IS A SUCESSFUL DOCS IN THE US…………………………….so i please advice u people who have finished reading the entire issue to stop any narcotic drugs u are abused to……….plZ FRENS ….

DEFINITION????

An addictive drug, such as opium, that reduces pain, alters mood and behavior, and usually induces sleep or stupor. Natural and synthetic narcotics are used in medicine to control pain.

HISTORY???

Narcotics are the oldest as well as the strongest analgesics, or pain-relieving drugs, known to humans. Ancient Sumerian and Egyptian medical texts dated as early as 4000 B.C. mention the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) as the source of a milky fluid (opium latex) that could be given to relieve coughs and insomnia as well as ease pain. Traditional Chinese medicine recommended the opium poppy, known to Chinese physicians as ying su ke, for the treatment of asthma, severe diarrhea, and dysentery as well as chronic pain and insomnia. Opium latex contains between 10 and 20 percent morphine, which in its purified form is a white crystalline powder with a bitter taste.

Narcotics are central nervous system depressants that produce a stuporous state in the person who takes them. These drugs often induce a state of euphoria or feeling of extreme well-being, and they are powerfully addictive. The body quickly builds a tolerance to narcotics in as little as two to three days, so that greater doses are required to achieve the same effect. Because of the addictive qualities of these drugs, most countries in the twenty-first century have strict laws regarding the production and distribution of narcotics. These laws became necessary when opium addiction in the nineteenth century became a widespread social problem in the developed countries. Opium, which was the first of the opioids to be widely used, had been a common folk remedy for centuries that often led to addiction for the user; in fact, many popular Victorian patent medicines for “female complaints” actually contained opium. The invention of the hypodermic needle in the mid-nineteenth century, however, increased the number of addicts because it allowed opioids to be delivered directly into the bloodstream, thereby dramatically increasing their effect.

TYPES???

As of the early 2000s, narcotics are commonly classified into three groups according to their origin:

• Natural derivatives of opium: Narcotics in this group include morphine itself and codeine.
• Partially synthetic drugs derived from morphine: These drugs include heroin, oxycodone (OxyContin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), and oxymorphone (Numorphan).
• Synthetic compounds that resemble morphine in their chemical structure: Narcotics in this group include fentanyl (Duragesic), levorphanol (Levo-Dromoran), meperidine (Demerol), methadone, and propoxyphene (Darvon).

Narcotics are available in many different forms, ranging from oral, intramuscular, and intravenous preparations to patches that can be applied to the skin (fentanyl). Illegal street heroin can be taken by inhalation as well as by injection.

EFFECTS??????

Drug effects depend heavily on the dose, route of administration, previous exposure to the drug, and the expectation of the user. Aside from their clinical use in the treatment of pain, cough suppression and acute diarrhea, narcotics produce a general sense of well-being known as euphoria by reducing tension, anxiety, and aggression. These effects are helpful in a therapeutic setting and contribute to their popularity as recreational drugs, as well as helping to produce dependency.

Narcotic use is associated with a variety of effects including drowsiness, itching, sleeplessness, inability to concentrate, apathy, lessened physical activity, constriction of the pupils, dilation of the subcutaneous blood vessels causing flushing of the face and neck, constipation, nausea and vomiting and, most significantly, respiratory depression. As the dose is increased, the subjective, analgesic, and toxic effects become more pronounced. Except in cases of acute intoxication, there is no loss of motor coordination or slurred speech as occurs with many depressants.

ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS ?????

AIDS, Addiction, Cocaine, Controlled Substances Act, Greek, HIV, Hard and soft drugs, Heroin, Narcissus, Narcoterrorism, Narcotics Anonymous, Opioids, Pethidine/Meperidine, U.S., aggression, analgesia, anxiety, coca, contaminants, drug legalization, endocarditis, euphoria, hepatitis, heroin, legalization, morphine, nitrogen, nitrogen narcosis, opioid, opium, scuba diving, sedation, syringes…

POSITIVE EFFECTS????????

For severe episodes of low back pain, narcotic pain medications may be prescribed. Clearly, narcotic agents are strong and potentially addictive forms of medication and should only be administered by a physician.

All narcotic agents have a dissociative effect that helps patients manage pain. It does not actually deaden the pain, but works to dissociate patients from the pain. Commonly used narcotics, listed in ascending order of potency (strength) include:

• codeine (e.g. Tylenol #3)
• propoxyphene (e.g. Darvocet)
• hydrocodone (e.g. Vicodin)
• oxycodone (e.g. Percocet, Oxycontin)

HOW CAN I FORGET MORPHINE ????

Morphine is used to treat moderate to severe pain. It works by dulling the pain perception center in the brain. Short-acting formulations are taken as needed for pain. Extended-release formulations are used when around-the-clock pain relief is needed. Morphine is not for treating pain just after surgery unless you were already taking it before the surgery.

Before using morphine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• asthma, COPD, sleep apnea, or other breathing disorders;
• liver or kidney disease;
• underactive thyroid;
• curvature of the spine;
• a history of head injury or brain tumor;
• epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
• low blood pressure;
• gallbladder disease;
• Addison’s disease or other adrenal gland disorders;
• enlarged prostate, urination problems;
• mental illness; or
• a history of drug or alcohol addiction.

These effects include, but are not limited to:

• Pain relief
• Cough suppression
• Drowsiness
• Anxiety relief
• Unusual unpleasant feelings (dysphoria) or unusual pleasant feelings (euphoria)
• Decreased breathing (slow or shallow breathing)
• Certain changes in the circulatory system
• Slowing of the digestive tract
• Release of histamine (which often causes itching)
• Physical dependence.

(See Morphine Uses for more information.)

MORPHINE SIDEFFECTS !!

As with any medicine, morphine can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. Most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.

Common side effects of this drug include, but are not limited to:

• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sweating
• An unusual unpleasant feeling (dysphoria) or an unusual pleasant feeling (euphoria)
• Constipation

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF NARCOTIC USE

Narcotics users can develop tolerance, as well as psychological and physical dependence to opioids when they take them over an extended period of time.

• Tolerance refers to a decreased response to a drug, with increasing doses required to achieve comparable effects.

• Psychological dependence refers to compulsive drug use in which a person uses the drug for personal satisfaction, often in spite of knowing the health risks.

• Physical dependence occurs when a person stops using the narcotic but experiences a withdrawal syndrome (or set of symptoms).

• Signs and symptoms of narcotic abuse
  • analgesia (feeling no pain),

• • sedation,

• • euphoria,

• • respiratory depression (shallow breathing),

• • small pupils, bloodshot eyes,

• • nausea, vomiting,

• • itching skin, flushed skin,

• • constipation,

• • slurred speech,

• • confusion, poor judgment, and

• • needle marks on the skin

WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS OF NARCOTIC USE !!!!!

• Signs and symptoms of narcotic withdrawal: The withdrawal syndrome from narcotics generally includes signs and symptoms opposite of the drug’s intended medical effects. The severity of the withdrawal syndrome increases as the drug dose increases. The longer the duration of the physical dependence to the narcotic increases, the more severe the withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms of heroin withdrawal generally appear 12-14 hours after the last dose. Symptoms of methadone withdrawal appear 24-36 hours after the last dose. Heroin withdrawal peaks within 36-72 hours and may last seven to 14 days. Methadone withdrawal peaks at three to five days and may last three to four weeks. Although uncomfortable, acute narcotic withdrawal for adults is not considered life-threatening unless the person has a medical condition that compromises their health (for example, if someone has severe heart disease). Some of the signs and symptoms of narcotic withdrawal are listed below:
  • Anxiety

• • Irritability

• • Craving for the drug

• • Increased respiratory rate (rapid breathing)

• • Yawning

• • Runny nose

• • Salivation

• • Gooseflesh

• • Nasal stuffiness

• • Muscle aches

• • Nausea or vomiting

• • Abdominal cramping

• • Diarrhea

• • Sweating

• • Confusion

• • Enlarged pupils

• • Tremors

• • Lack of appetite

COMPLICATIONS ????

• Signs and symptoms of narcotic withdrawal: The withdrawal syndrome from narcotics generally includes signs and symptoms opposite of the drug’s intended medical effects. The severity of the withdrawal syndrome increases as the drug dose increases. The longer the duration of the physical dependence to the narcotic increases, the more severe the withdrawal syndrome. Symptoms of heroin withdrawal generally appear 12-14 hours after the last dose. Symptoms of methadone withdrawal appear 24-36 hours after the last dose. Heroin withdrawal peaks within 36-72 hours and may last seven to 14 days. Methadone withdrawal peaks at three to five days and may last three to four weeks. Although uncomfortable, acute narcotic withdrawal for adults is not considered life-threatening unless the person has a medical condition that compromises their health (for example, if someone has severe heart disease). Some of the signs and symptoms of narcotic withdrawal are listed below:
  • Anxiety

• • Irritability

• • Craving for the drug

• • Increased respiratory rate (rapid breathing)

• • Yawning

• • Runny nose

• • Salivation

• • Gooseflesh

• • Nasal stuffiness

• • Muscle aches

• • Nausea or vomiting

• • Abdominal cramping

• • Diarrhea

• • Sweating

• • Confusion

• • Enlarged pupils

• • Tremors

• • Lack of appetite

NARCOTICS IN PREGNANT WOMAN !!!

A retrospective analysis has been made of the outcome of pregnancy in 174 women abusing narcotics, managed by a specialist team from a drug-dependency antenatal clinic. These women were cared for through 182 pregnancies of greater than 20 weeks’ gestation, resulting in 183 live and 5 stillbirths. The majority of patients were enrolled in a methadone programme and stabilized on the drug before the third trimester. The group was characterized by a high prevalence of previous obstetric and medical problems. The most common antenatal complications were preterm labour (24%) and anaemia (12%). Preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age each occurred in a quarter of pregnancies. The mean birth-weight for the group was 2,746 g +/- 721 g; mean +/- S.D. Eight perinatal deaths occurred (5 stillbirths, 3 neonatal deaths), giving a perinatal mortality rate of 43/1,000. The data on narcotic abusers have been compared with similar data obtained from randomly selected public antenatal clinic patients who delivered during the same period.

FATAL EFFECTS OF NARCOTICS

Respiratory arrest is a common cause of death from cocaine overdose. It is more likely to occur if a depressant drug such as heroin has also been taken. Death can also result from events as varied as abnormal rhythms of the heart, ruptured blood vessels, very high body temperature, and gangrene of the intestine.Although most deaths have followed intravenous injection, they have also occurred after smoking, snorting, or oral use. The lethal dose of cocaine is not known, but is probably quite variable. Death has resulted from doses as low as 30 mg snorted and 20 mg injected, yet users have survived doses of several grams (several thousand milligrams). Virtually no dose, no matter how small, can be guaranteed safe. Impurities in street cocaine can also produce fatal allergic reactions.

MJ\’s fatal drug overdose

Garth Prison durgs