Running Head: HEROIN AND TEENAGERS DRUG ABUSE Garcia 3

Heroin and Teenage[rs] Drug Abuse

Teenagers are at risk when it comes to heroin here in Albuquerque, NM. There were two deaths last year in the [h]Heights [d] District due to heroin overdose. One victim was eighteen and the other was nineteen. They [are] were middle class teenagers, with good grades and affiliated with sports. In Albuquerque, heroin use is particularly dangerous for teenagers, because of its addictive qualities, easy availability, and difficulty [to treat] in treating. There are actually quite a few reasons why teens use heroin accordingly to Murphy, Mary, and Nancy Risser, (1999), (p.119). Many of them experiment because of friends. They wanted to be cool and popular, escape and relax, to relieve boredom to seem grown up, to rebel and to experiment. They think drugs are a solution. But eventually, the drugs become the problem. Others want to really know what it's like to be “high”. Tolerance to heroin develops with regular use, so after a short time more heroin is needed to produce the same level of intensity. This results in addiction. Heroin is injected, sniffed/snorted or smoked. Injecting heroin provides the greatest intensity. It is the most rapid of the opiates and will “hit” the addict in 7 to 8 seconds. Injection is the most common way to take heroin. When heroin is sniffed or smoked, the peak effects are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes (Anglin, M.D. & Speckart, 2005, p. 95). Heroin is a highly addictive drug (Anglin, M.D. & Speckart, 2005, p. 95). This drug is often started due to pills that are downers like oxycontin. When pills are no longer an effective high users turn to something stronger. Heroin crosses the blood-brain barrier quickly. Abusers typically report the

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feeling [a] as a pleasurable sensation or “rush”. The rush is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, in the extremities, and may be [a] affiliated by nausea, vomiting, and severe itching. Heroin is highly addictive because it enters the brain so rapidly states Polanecky, Bladimir, (2005),( p. 96). After the initial effects, abusers usually will be drowsy for several hours. Cardiac function slows. Breathing is also severely shallow, sometimes to the point of death.
Long-term effects of heroin [are addictive] addiction. Heroin also produces degrees of tolerance and physical dependence. Which are also powerful motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse. Heroin users usually spend more and more time looking for money for drugs. Heroin changes their brain function and behavior. Heroin causes the body to develop a physical dependence with higher doses of the drug. Body withdrawal [is] when deprived of heroin. [, it starts withdrawing from the drug.] This causes the body to want more and more accordingly to Murphy, Mary, and Nancy Risser, (1999),( p.119). Heroin [what occurs?]occurs a few hours after the last time the drug is taken. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle, and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps and leg movements. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week and possibly longer. Heroin withdrawal can be fatal to teenagers and can cause death to the fetus of a pregnant addict. If the baby doesn’t die, it can be born addicted, meaning the baby may have withdrawals after it is born. Heroin users may also get infectious diseases[, for example, by sharing needles. There are five ways heroin can kill [states] according to Kaatrude, Peter (1997),( p.151). This includes:
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Overdose: Different strengths of the drug are out on the