A Brief History of Heroin in America

By Ryan Bombard 

In the late 1800s, opium was a popular, commonly available drug. Drug users frequented opium dens which dotted the 'Wild West' region of America. It was smuggled in and sold by Chinese immigrants who came here to work on the railroads.

There is a typical picture of the western cowboy drowning himself in whiskey at a bar after a rough ride on the dirt roads. It was more likely however, that he was prostrate in a dimly lit room, smoking opium in the arms of an oriental prostitute. They often spent several nights and days at these dens, smoking opium, until eventually, their bodies became addicted to it.

Alcoholism, however, was a bigger problem in those days and opium was used as a cure for alcohol addiction.

In 1810, morphine, a derivative of opium, was developed as a pain killer. It eliminated pain caused by medical operations and severe injuries. Soon after it was administered, it produced an intense, dream-like state of euphoria. Hence, it came to be christened "morphine", after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. It was hailed by doctors as a miraculous cure for pain and used extensively and freely. In the euphoria however, its detrimental addictive properties went unnoticed until after the Civil War.

Thousands of soldiers became morphine addicts during the civil war and within a span of ten years since its invention America was in the grip of a major morphine epidemic.

In 1874, a British chemist working in London invented a new drug. Bayer of Germany registered it as a trademark under the name "Heroin". Shortly, it was imported into America and aggressively marketed to doctors and their patients as a "safe, non-addictive" substitute for morphine. For the next several decades, it was sold legally all over the country by drug companies.

Eventually, in 1920, the US Congress passed the Dangerous Drug Act, banning the sale of heroin over the counter and making its distribution federally regulated. However, it was too late already. Tens of thousands of citizens had already been addicted and a market for heroin had been created. Today this market still exists and is, in fact, ever growing.

Nowadays, heroin is well known, and the fact that many people abuse it is also well known.

Opiate addiction is not taken lightly, and it shouldn't be. Addiction to heroin or other opiate derivatives can cause severe damage to the user over long term use. Because of this, there are now many drug addiction treatment centers nation-wide.

Ryan writes about various health [http://www.online-health-source.info/] topics.

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The Importance of the Amino Acids in Substance Abuse Recovery and Relapse Prevention Revised

By Peggy Huff                    

I've been in active recovery from alcohol dependency for many years. I have watched thousands and thousands of people come into recovery, and just as quickly, they disappear, only to come back again and again, claiming a desire to get better. What causes them to go through that revolving door for so long, and why are they in so much emotional pain?

I have studied alternative medicine for 15 years or more, and have learned about the importance of diet and nutrition in the treatment and prevention of many "dis-eases". I have personally corrected many chronic ailments within my own body, from Lupus to arthritis, to Fibromyalgia. I fully believe that if we give our bodies what they need, they will heal themselves. This belief is based in my own personal experience.

But what about addictions to harmful substances? There are addictions to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and a myriad of other "recreational" drugs. But equally as devastating to ones health and well-being are addictions to other, legal substances, such as alcohol, prescription drugs (anti-depressants and pain-killers), tobacco, caffeine, sugar, chocolate and refined, fatty foods. What is causing us to need or crave these substances? Well, our brains. Not our thinking, but our brain chemistry itself.

Our brains consist of tiny chemicals called neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters include epinephrine and nor-epinephrine, GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid), serotonin and dopamine. They are closely tied to addictive behavior and addictions to many of the above mentioned substances. When in ample supply, these chemical neurotransmitters cause us to feel good...that wonderful feeling of well-being we all desire and strive to maintain. But when our neurotransmitters are depleted and/or are being re-absorbed by our brain's receptor sites too quickly, we reach automatically for something that will make us feel better by increasing these chemicals. This can be achieved through many substances, and is especially true alcohol, which is why alcoholism is so rampant in our society. It is a legal "fix" to our continuing feelings of restlessness, irritability and discontentment. But it is like putting a band-aid on an infected wound. Whether we get our temporary fix through alcohol or prescription anti-depressants or that giant Hershey's chocolate bar, the cause of the problem remains unaddressed.

So, what causes our brains to loose the ability to naturally take care of ourselves via neurotransmission? Deficiency, plain and simple. A deficiency in possibly many nutrients, trace elements and essential fatty acids, but primarily in this case, amino acids. What are amino acids? The organic molecules that are the building blocks of proteins in our body. There are 20 different kinds of amino acids in living things. Proteins are composed of different combinations of amino acids assembled in chain-like molecules. Amino acids are primarily composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen. Each protein consists of a different sequence of amino acids linked together according to the genetic information encoded in DNA.

Many are manufactured by the body, but there are also many "essential" amino acids that are not manufactured by the body and must come from our diet. An example is L-Tyrosine. This essential amino acid restores the brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine. Deficiencies of this amino acid can cause cravings for caffeine, speed, cocaine, marijuana, aspartame (artificial sweetener), chocolate, alcohol, tobacco, sugars and starches, which also increase nor-epinephrine and dopamine, temporarily. Symptoms of deficiency of L-Tyrosine are depression, low energy, lack of focus and concentration and ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder).

So of course we are going to reach for substances that will allow us to feel better, if only for a short time. And many of us end up on "anti-depressants", which does nothing more than slow down the re-absorption of certain neurotransmitters, also causing us to feel better, but it never takes care of the underlying problem, and can be harmful to our physical health if taken for long periods of time.

So, the solution is to receive adequate amounts of amino acids into our bodies. This can be achieved through eating a healthy diet and supplementing our diets with high quality amino acids each day. Proper dosing is very important as there are certain contraindications associated with amino acids. One example of a contraindication (reasons one should not take them) is that certain amino acids adversely affect people who are on MAO inhibitors. There are others that can cause herpes outbreaks and can adversely affect those with schizophrenia. So, although amino acids are essential to one's overall health and well-being, they should be respected, just as everything we put into our bodies should. Although amino acid supplements can be purchased at your local health food store, it is important to consult with your health care provider before beginning any new health regimen.

Bottom line: we must give our bodies what they need to function properly. The use of addictive chemicals and pharmaceuticals are temporary solutions to a potentially devastating underlying problem, which can only be resolved through a healthy diet and nutritional supplementation. Addictions and addictive behaviors are not a symptom of a weak moral character, but a matter of delicate chemistry that takes place in our brains. It is the continued use of addictive substances that may cause us to become weakened characters, but that is just a side-effect of our attempting to simply feel better.

Peggy Huff is the President and Executive Director of the Center for Massage & Natural Health in Asheville, North Carolina, specializing in massage therapy education, educational retreats and the healing arts and sciences. For more information, please visit her website at http://www.centerformassage.com .

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Advancements in Opiate Withdrawal Treatment

By Anna Woodward               

New trends in drug abuse across the nation have caused law enforcement and the healthcare industry to combine their efforts in combatting the problem. Narcotics, such as oxycontin, hydrocodone, and heroin, have led the nation into a crisis of opioid addiction. Due to their debilitating physical and mental withdrawal symptoms, medical providers over the years have sought out various methods to alleviate the effects. One current model uses the drug Suboxone and is being praised by both doctors and patients due to the relatively high success rates and low risks. To understand the evolution of opiate withdrawal treatment, it's important to know the causes behind the changes.

The Pharmacy to Street Pipeline

In recent years, painkiller prescriptions have been on the rise across the nation. According to one audit, between 1991 and 2013, figures have almost tripled, going from 76 million prescriptions to nearly 207 million. Patients report that the use of heroin is a dangerous but viable replacement because it is cheaper and more accessible. Furthermore, the addition of other, more powerful opioids such as fentanyl and carfentanil have appeared on the streets. Simply put, the rise in prescriptions and the development of other opioids have driven up the amount of abuse.

Comparative Risks of Maintenance

Methadone maintenance therapy was once a standard medical approach to the problem of addiction. This type of therapy gives patients a structured dosing protocol in an outpatient setting. As a form of opiate withdrawal treatment, methadone allows individuals to slowly taper their doses until they are ready to stop taking it. However, some risks do exist. The drug has the potential for abuse and has led to overdose deaths. While methadone is meant as a safer substitute for more harmful narcotics, users report that the withdrawal symptoms are harsher and more prolonged when methadone is not taken correctly.

Advancements in Pharmacology and Awareness

Suboxone, the current leader in opiate withdrawal treatment, is the combination of two chemicals: buprenorphine, a synthetic, and naloxone which acts as a blocker. Due to the unique chemical structure, suboxone does not produce the "high" associated with other opioids. It instead alleviates the withdrawal symptoms by attaching to the necessary pain receptors while allowing other receptors to rejuvenate, therefore working to decrease detox symptoms. Also, suboxone's ceiling effect lessens the risk of overdose and abuse. Naloxone blocks opiate's effects on the body, in turn removing the patient's option of a return to their illicit drug of choice.

The New Hope

Throughout the years, opiate withdrawal treatment has changed to meet the demands of trends in drug abuse. Law enforcement agencies are helping to direct individuals towards treatment while doctors and medical centers are providing psychotherapy, 12-step group participation, and low-risk chemical management. What was once a dark time for the addict can now be full of hope because of these new methods of treatment.

When considering opiate withdrawal treatment, patients can learn more about at http://rhealthmatters.com/.

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The Gateway Out Of Addiction

By Sherry Lynn Daniel 

For decades, marijuana has been called a 'gateway' drug meaning it leads to harder drugs. However, gates swing both ways. Weed may also be the way for hard drug users to re-enter society on a milder, less invasive drug. Unlike heroin, opiates or methamphetamine which eventually consume a user's life and talents, cannibas has been shown to be used casually without serious side effects or fallout. That is assuming it is legal at the time and place of use.

What if the marijuana plant contains chemicals that might help a user avoid or get off the opiods? The Society for Neurosciences witnessed presentations that suggest the cannabis plant could become a source of drugs for fighting addiction.The Scripp's Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., reported on preliminary research showing that a non-psychoactive marijuana constituent, cannabidiol, can quell urges for cocaine in rats trained over three months to compulsively crave a drug.

Researchers allowed rats to dose themselves at-will with cocaine until they became addicted. At the end of the period, they gave some of the animals transdermal patches that provided an infusion of cannabidiol. Rats that received the patches reduced cocaine intake, whereas the ones that didn't continued to consume as much cocaine as before. Miguel Hernandez, researcher at the University in Spain, reported on an initial study showing that cannabidiol reduced alcohol consumption, as well as the desire to drink and any impulse toward relapse.

Another possible measure being discussed would be to use THC to steer pain sufferers away from opioids. A chemical in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can alleviate pain but it also makes the user high. Researchers found a possible way to treat neuropathic pain-the kind produced by nerve damage.

Marijuana is chemically complex, and the plant's therapeutic potential comes laden with entanglements. Pot ingredients may reduce cravings for some drugs but they may also produce dependence on their own.

All of this attention comes on the heels of multiple states legalizing sales and use of cannabis products. The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) have a stronghold on research by maintaining that cannabis is still federally illegal in all 50 states.

State by state decisions are being made about the sale, distribution and growing of cannabis. With multiple states trying the experiment, positive results are coming in through increased tax revenue, reduced domestic abuse calls, less alcohol-related issues and DUI arrests. This innocent plant may regain its innocence.

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Long-Term Drug Abuse Can Weaken The Heart

By Barbara Odozi 

In recent times, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of illicit drugs in the U.S., owing to an array of factors such as stress, anxiety, depression, family history or peer pressure, among others. As per a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, approximately 10.2 percent of Americans, aged 12 years and above had used some form of illicit drug in the month prior to the survey.

Today, illegal drug abuse has become a common problem among all age groups, race or gender, resulting in various other serious repercussions such as accidents, domestic violence, unintentional injuries and even death. However, the most far-reaching effect of drug abuse and dependence is a serious impact on the crucial organs in the human body such as liver, kidney, heart and the brain.

Although not very commonly known, drug abuse over a prolonged period can prove to be detrimental for the proper functioning of the heart. The damage caused to the cardiovascular system can result in several heart ailments such as changes in the heart rate, heart failure, worsening of current heart problems or even death.

Effects of illegal substances on the heart: An overview

It has been found that abusing illicit drugs such as cocaine, amphetamine, heroin or opioids can severely affect the proper functioning of the heart. When an individual smokes, inhales or injects the drug, it enters into the bloodstream. The heart then pumps the blood to the brain, which, in turn, affects the way a person feels or behaves.

Whether someone is taking drugs occasionally or on a regular basis, it can have a direct impact on the heart, thereby resulting in a number of heart diseases. For instance, drinking alcohol heavily can weaken the heart's ability to pump blood, which might also lead to heart failure. Regular and high doses of stimulant drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine might increase the risk of heart attacks. Apparently, the risk is higher in people who are already suffering from heart problems or high blood pressure. While a short-term use of illegal drugs can result in heart attacks, their long-term use can even lead to death due to increased heart complications.

Smoking nicotine makes the heart work more rigorously. It can result in thickening of the blood, reducing its capability to flow through the narrowed arteries.

Quitting drugs to safeguard health

While there might be several factors responsible for pushing millions of people into the devastating habit of drug abuse, lack of support majorly results in such people being unable to kick the habit despite knowing its harmful effects. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the problem of addiction at an early stage and get the required help before it is too late.

Drug abuse not only destroys lives but also tears families apart. However, it is nearly impossible to quit addiction without professional help. Withdrawal symptoms can be immensely difficult to deal with, and therefore, frequent relapses are a common occurrence. Hence, people addicted to drugs need medical intervention to help them lead a sober life.

If you or someone you know is addicted to some kind of drugs and is seeking help from the best drug rehab, get in touch with the California Drug Addiction Helpline. Call us at our 24/7 helpline number 855-980-1946, and we will assist you to find the complete information about the best drug rehab centers.

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Avoid Opioid Problems

By Desiree Lotz                       

With the recent over 9% increase in drug-related deaths, the opioid crisis has the attention of the masses. Itself killing nearly 50,000 Americans it is growing more difficult to ignore.

One element, however, remains little-known, and that there is a painkiller more powerful than any opioid: calcium GLUCONATE.

Calcium gluconate turns out to be one of the more powerful painkillers, and it's deficiency can be causing or exacerbating pain. Therefore, treating deficiency becomes key, and can be an answer to an otherwise dependent reliance upon potent, dangerous drugs.

Abnormal muscle function and deficiency...

Muscle function physically, is totally dependent upon nutrient levels chemically. Though nerves and bones depend upon certain minerals, the very function and action of muscles rely on it.

Contraction and relaxation are the main functions of muscle activity and allow a variety of movements. Calcium and its partner mineral, magnesium, are the key to these vital actions.

In deficiency, muscles are already at a disadvantage and can malfunction. This can be a predisposition to feeling pain. Tension, spasm, cramp or any other muscle disorder can result from lack of these life-giving minerals.

More potent than Opioids?

Injectable calcium has already proven to be a powerful painkiller in medicine. But its use isn't difficult to understand once you understand the body's need nutritionally.

Calcium and magnesium are partners. They work in tandem. The body requires both of them to be able to utilize either one.

But it doesn't end that simply. There must be a certain "acidic climate" for them to react and only one of the many forms of each is acceptable.

These crucial conditions already make getting sufficient supply a challenge. And in this day an age, the margin for error is enormous.

How taking extra calcium can make you DEFICIENT!

Considering the precision of the body's utilization of these minerals, it becomes easy to see that mistakenly taking an unusable form of calcium can cause other issues.

Painful conditions, such as arthritis, are caused by deposits of such minerals accumulating in surplus in the joints. These deposits tend to occur when absorption isn't possible.

Logically, getting a proper balance of calcium in its correct form is not only important, it is vital. Without it, pain and related conditions result.

What crisis beats out painkiller addiction any day of the week?

If you want to label a crisis, it is perhaps better to get down to basics.

With nutritional deficiency statistics at "out-of-control" levels and nearly a third of the planet suffering some sort of lack of nutrition, the opioid crisis seems rather minuscule. Further, painkiller addiction may be more reliant upon deficiencies than previously suspected.

With the slim tolerance of the correct forms and balance of calcium along with the conditions in which it is absorbed, it is easy to see how, even with a prudent nutritional plan, one can become deficient.

Can Getting Minerals In Sufficient Supply Offer Resolution to the Opioid Crisis?

While its debatable whether or not direct inroads can be made to an overall solution, it is easy to see that solving deficiencies can create a marked change in the existence of painful conditions. Pain, in many cases, is not necessary and can be the result of some predisposition brought on by deficiency.

Having the proper ratio, form and combination of calcium and magnesium is not just some recipe for pain relief, it is not a mere preventive measure, it is essential for proper function itself, both minerals being responsible for hundreds of body processes.

Instant CalMag-C is a supplement designed in the laboratory, reverse engineered from how the body utilizes essential calcium and magnesium. The result is a fast-absorbing, useable and effective combination that supports body functions too numerous to list.

A body which has its essential minerals and other nutrition tends to function at optimum and tends to be pain-free. Try Instant CalMag-C and find out what supplementing the two most vital minerals can do for you, and perhaps for a worldwide crisis too!

To find out more, go to https://calmag-c.com/opioids/ or to order some Instant CalMag-C (made with calcium gluconate specifically), go to https://www.calmagstore.com/

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The Real Truth About Marijuana

By Charles Meusburger                    

"So, what's the big deal. It's legal for God sakes!" It's even used as medicine for all kinds of things. Why should I stop smoking? It's fine. Stay out of my stuff; you just don't know what's real. Besides, why do we have a dedicated piece of furniture in this house called "the liquor cabinet?" Pretty hypocritical to me, don't you think? You do yours, I'll do mine. Yours is legal too, but it's never used as medicine is it? I'm sure it does more harm than my pot. Everybody I know does it. It's fine like I've said a million times. Get informed. I feel good, relaxed, creative and comfortable, so what's wrong with that? There is no need to overreact and try to control everything. As a matter of fact, pushing me not to just makes me want to do it more. I don't know why you don't get it."

Sound familiar? This debate/dialogue has been going on for several generations, but not like the last 10 to 15 years since legalization and medical uses have become more the norm and growing. Legalization alone hasn't markedly increased cannabis use, but in general, there are seemingly more permissive attitudes towards cannabis where it's legal. The perception of marijuana's risks drops off sharply in these states and the use of the drug rises very quickly. The perceived risks have been steadily declining for more than a decade. In 2014, less than half of high school seniors thought that regular marijuana use was very risky; the lowest number in over 40 years.

Families and parents by and large are also not as well-informed about the risks of regular cannabis use or even what is legal and what is not. Their teens know much more, and many choose to ignore, refute or deny the serious risks and the large body of science warning of harm.

The advertisers in states where cannabis is legal are directly marketing to their youthful constituents in free print ads and via playful images. Of course, where there is a profit to be made, manufacturers, even state legislators will be swayed and have incentives to entice young users.

The potency of the current marijuana supply is markedly stronger than in prior decades. Thirty years ago, the THC concentration in marijuana ranged somewhere between 5 and 10%. Now, the potency is greater than 30%. This complicates and compounds the risk, harm and concerns associated with its use. Highly concentrated cannabis resins containing even higher levels of THC are now dangerously available as well

One very vexing issue is that some scientific studies have demonstrated the serious risk and harm of regular marijuana use while others have not. The anatomical and functional harm reportedly done to young brains includes impaired memory, attention, decision-making and learning. This leads to significant increases in poor school performance, increased drop out rates, dependence on public assistance, increased unemployment and much lower life satisfaction. Persistent use in teens has been linked to an 8 point decline in IQ which is comparable to what's seen in lead poisoning.

During the brain's neurodevelopmental years, it has greater sensitivity and vulnerability to marijuana's toxic effects. The negative effects in gray matter density and the nucleus accumbens, an area in the brain central to "reward" and includes dopamine that effects desire and serotonin that effects satiety and inhibition. These areas are essential to motivation, reward, emotion, memory and pleasure for instance. In addition, repeated exposure has been shown to cause damage in the frontal cortex of the brain. This region of the brain is important for planning, personality, judgment, and decision-making. In addition, the brain's own endo-cannabinoid system is altered and diminished by repetitive exposure. This internal system comprises the physiological mechanisms that respond to THC (tetra-hydrocannabinoid)- the psychosomatic component of marijuana that creates its signature high.

Adolescents in particular are therefore much more sensitive to these serious negative effects of repeated marijuana use. One study also found that "most of a small group of children treated for bronchiolitis," had marijuana metabolites in their urine and therefore suffered from unintended harm. In this study parents who smoked told the researcher that they no longer smoked cigarettes, but now smoke marijuana. As a corollary, tobacco smoke at "very low levels is detectable in children... " (MD magazine: Field Report: Colorado Marijuana Laws Hurting Kids; Karen N. Wilson; December 2016).

Some studies have not found neurological changes, but the risks are far too serious and damaging to just dismiss the potential. Longitudinal studies, which is when data is gathered on the same subjects over a long period of time, are being launched soon. The National Institute on Drug Abuse will conduct the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) that will follow 10,000 young people across the country for a decade. This study will try to determine the effects pre and post reported use on brain function. It's not yet clear if there might be a safe level of use, if the brain can recover over time or not and does the brain have alternative compensatory methods to sustain adequate function.

No matter what is revealed in the future, the current neuroscience strongly points to marijuana as an addictive substance with particular damage likely to adolescent brains and function. Parents need to be well-informed and conversant with their children often. The medical uses for a variety of disorders are very beneficial to many. However legalization, which will likely include more states and medical uses, should not be construed and confused with safety and harmlessness.

Don't Suffer Alone...

Charles E Meusburger, MD is a licensed, board certified diplomat of Psychiatry & Neurology and board certified in Addiction Medicine- specializing in Adult and Adolescent Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, Effective Talking Therapies, and Medication Evaluation Management, practicing for over 25 Years with experience helping people to make their lives better and happier. To schedule an appointment contact us 609-484-0770 so we can help you with life's demands.

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