Opiate abuse and addiction
– foreword

What are opiate and opioids?

Opium is a resin made by drying of the opium poppy sap called milk. Opium consists of about 40 natural opium alkaloids – some of them have an ability to act on central nervous system and in consequence have psychedelics properties. They are called opiates. Opium poppy and straw are prohibited in U.S. and only poppy cultivated for food and medicinal purposes is permitted. In many other countries cultivation of poppy is restricted by law and trade is strictly controlled.

The most important opiates in opium are morphine and codeine. Both are widely used as analgesics – pain killers. Morphine and codeine are very successful in killing severe pains, e.g. after surgery or cancer pain.

Term 'opioids' refers to class of chemical substances that act on central nervous system in way that is very similar to opiates – especially morphine. While opiates are natural substances, opioids are semi-synthetic or fully synthetic chemicals. Semi-synthetic means that particular chemical or drug is made from natural product or substance which is extracted from some plant and then used as a substrate for chemical reactions. Product of such a special, planned reaction is a semi-synthetic substance, often possessing better / stronger medical properties. All semi-synthetic opioids are chemical derivatives of morphine – heroin, hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone.

Despite positive medical indications opiates are very dangerous. Both opiates and opioids are extremely addictive – there's an opinion, that opioids are most addictive substances people have ever known. Quick and strong psychological dependence, quick and marked physical dependence, very rapidly and deeply developing tolerance and severe withdrawal symptoms make opiates one of the worst things to be addicted to.