Heroin

Heroin (chemical name diacetylmorphine) is an organic chemical substance and an opioid. Heroin is made by the processing of morphine, which is another opioid that naturally comes from the opium poppy plant. In modern times, heroin has been used by humans as an analgesic and a recreational drug.

Heroin is a very potent narcotic analgesic, and is extremely addictive. Along with cocaine and methamphetamine, heroin is often colloquially categorized as a "hard drug", as opposed to "soft drugs" such as marijuana, which is considerably less addictive and harmful. Victims of heroin overdose include celebrities such as Janis Joplin and Bridgette Andersen.

Governments around the world mostly have enacted strict laws against the production, distribution, and possession of heroin. In the United States, it is listed as a Schedule I drug by the Controlled Substance Act, which means it has high potential of abuse and even medical use is disallowed. Street names for heroin include "junk", "dope", and "smack".

History

In 1874, a British researcher named C. R. Wright discovered the substance by boiling morphine and acetic anhydride. It had similar effect to morphine and was thought to be non-addictive. Subsequently, the Bayer Pharmaceutical company began massively producing it under the name of "heroin". However, it was proved to be even more harmful than morphine and from 1923 the U.S. and other governments started to outlaw heroin.

Pharmacology

Heroin is a prodrug, which means it does not exert any active effects but is metabolized in the body into an active substance. Heroin is very lipid soluble and easily cross the blood-brain barrier. Heroin (diacytlmorphine) is hydrolyzed by the protein human carboxylesterase 1 (hCE1) into 6-acetylmorphine, then into morphine.