Heroin: Difference between revisions

'''Diacetylmorphine''' (also known as '''Heroin''', '''H''', and colloquially as '''Smack''', '''Junk''', '''Brown''', and '''Boy''') is a semisynthetic [[psychoactive class::opioid]] of the [[chemical class::morphinan]] class that produces [[pain relief|analgesic]], [[muscle relaxation|relaxing]], [[sedation|sedating]] and [[euphoria|euphoric]] effects when [[Routes of administration|administered]].  

Heroin was originally synthesized by C.R. Alder Wright in 1874 by adding two acetyl groups to the [[morphine]] alkaloid from the latex of the poppy plant (''Papaver somniferum'')<ref> Wright, C.R.A. (1874). "On the Action of Organic Acids and their Anhydrides on the Natural Alkaloids". Journal of the Chemical Society. 27: 1031–1043. doi:10.1039/js8742701031|https://web.archive.org/web/20040606103721/http://adhpage.dilaudid.net/heroin.html</ref>. Although the name heroin is a traditional trade name for a Bayer Pharmaceutical product containing diacetylmorphine, the name has since been widely adopted for all intents and purposes and may describe a recreational depressant that may or may not contain pure diacetylmorphine.  

In its pure form, heroin is active at doses of 5mg and above; however, the substance is most commonly found in a preparation containing significant impurities. These impurities can result from including processing faults during synthesis, the addition of harmful or benign cutting agents, or the substitution of significantly more potent and dangerous analogous substances such as [[fentanyl]] adulterated into the end-product before distribution.<ref>Much of Heroin Supply Adulterated with Fentanyl | http://mha.ohio.gov/Portals/0/assets/Research/OSAM-TRI/092015-OSAMogram-heroin-fentanyl-update.pdf</ref><ref>InFocus: Fentanyl-Laced Heroin: A Deadly Combination (Medicine News)| http://journals.lww.com/em-news/Fulltext/2014/04000/InFocus__Fentanyl_Laced_Heroin__A_Deadly.5.aspx</ref><ref>Illicit Version Of Painkiller Fentanyl Makes Heroin Deadlier | http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/08/26/434618809/ilicit-version-of-painkiller-fentanyl-makes-heroin-deadlier</ref><ref>What You Need to Know About Fentanyl-Laced Heroin | http://www.projectknow.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-fentanyl-laced-heroin/</ref><ref>Killer batch of white heroin responsible for at least 100 deaths across the country... and rising | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2549944/Killer-heroin-fentanyl-epidemic-responsible-100-deaths-country-rising-half-month.html</ref> This makes accurate dosing is particularly difficult.

==Legality==

*'''Australia:''' Heroin is controlled in Australia, but there is conflicting information about its exact legal status. Heroin was listed in Schedule I of the Narcotic Drugs Act of 1967; however, it is unclear whether the control system has changed since then.

*'''Brazil:''' Heroin is listed as a controlled substance, making the production, distribution, or possession illegal.  

*'''Germany:''' In May 2009, Germany made it legal to prescribe heroin to addicts who are over 23 years old, have been addicted for at least 5 years, and have tried 2 other therapies to get off heroin.  

*'''New Zealand:''' Heroin is Class A in New Zealand.

*'''Portugal:''' The personal use of heroin was decriminalized by Law 30/2000 in July 2001. Possession of less than 1g is not regarded as a criminal offense although the substance is liable to be seized and the possessor can be referred to mandatory treatment. Sale or possession of quantities greater than the personal possession limit are criminal offenses punishable by jail time.  

*'''Switzerland:''' Heroin is legally available for addicts under an ongoing experiment but is otherwise illegal to possess.

*'''United Kingdom:''' Heroin is Schedule II/Class A and is illegal to buy, sell or possess without a license.

*'''United States:''' Heroin is Schedule I in the United States. This means it is illegal to manufacture, buy, possess, or distribute without a DEA license.

*[[Opioids]]

* Schmidt, H., Vormfelde, S. V., Klinder, K., Gundert-Remy, U., Gleiter, C. H., Skopp, G., Aderjan, R. and Fuhr, U. (2002), '''''Affinities of Dihydrocodeine and its Metabolites to Opioid Receptors'''''. Pharmacology & Toxicology, 91: 57–63.  https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0773.2002.910203.x

* Pert, C. B., Pasternak, G., & Snyder, S. H. (1973). '''''Opiate Agonists and Antagonists Discriminated by Receptor Binding in Brain'''''. Science, 182(4119), 1359-1361. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.182.4119.1359

* Stefano GB, Ptáček R, Kuželová H, Kream RM (2012). '''''Endogenous morphine: up-to-date review (2011)'''''. Folia Biol. (Praha). 58 (2): 49–56. PMID 22578954. ''Positive evolutionary pressure has apparently preserved the ability to synthesize chemically authentic morphine, albeit in homeopathic concentrations, throughout animal phyla.''