Narcotics and crime
Narcotics are substances that induce a stuporous effect and are primarily used for pain relief, cough suppression, and controlling diarrhea. While they have legal medical applications, narcotics are frequently abused, prompting extensive law enforcement efforts to combat the illegal production and distribution of these drugs. Derived from the Greek word for "numbing," narcotics include both opiates, which are derived from opium, and synthetic opioids that replicate their effects. Common examples include codeine, oxycodone, heroin, and fentanyl.
The opium poppy serves as the source for all opiate drugs, with illicit cultivation predominantly occurring in regions like Mexico and the Golden Crescent and Triangle areas of Asia. Historical use of opium dates back over nine thousand years, with morphine being isolated in the early 19th century. Although narcotics can provide significant medical benefits, their abuse is associated with increased crime rates, particularly among regular users of heroin. Additionally, the sharing of needles among drug users raises serious public health concerns, including the spread of infectious diseases. Understanding the dual nature of narcotics—both their therapeutic potential and their role in crime—can provide insight into the ongoing challenges faced by society in addressing substance use and abuse.
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Narcotics and crime
DEFINITION: Substances with a stuporous effect, used in low doses to relieve moderate to severe pain, suppress coughing, and control diarrhea.
SIGNIFICANCE: Although narcotics have many legal uses, these drugs are also widely abused. Law-enforcement agencies devote many of their resources to the investigation of crimes associated with the illegal manufacture, sale, and use of narcotics.
The word “narcotic” is derived from the Greek word narkitos, which means numbing. Narcotics are efficient pain reducers and cough suppressants. Short-term effects of narcotics include drowsiness, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. The drug class includes both opiates (drugs that are derived from opium) and opioids (manufactured drugs that produce the same effects as opiates). narcotics include codeine, oxycodone, and dihydrocodeine. Examples of opioid narcotics include meperidine (brand name Demerol), dextropropoxyphene (Darvon), and fentanyl.
Opium has been used for medicinal purposes for more than nine thousand years. The active substance in opium, called morphine, was first isolated in 1803. During the nineteenth century, opium and preparations were considered “wonder drugs.” They provided relief from diarrhea caused by two of the major killers of that era: cholera and dysentery. In 1874, was synthesized from morphine for the first time. It quickly became a major ingredient in many tonics and medicines. In the United States, the Harrison Narcotic Drug Act went into effect in 1914; this law regulated the manufacturing and distribution of heroin and other drugs.
The opium poppy plant is the source of all opium, and opium is the source of all opiate drugs (morphine, heroin, codeine, and others). Although opium poppies grow wild in many areas of the world, most illicit cultivation of these plants occurs in Mexico, South America, and the areas known as the Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) and the Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand). The roots of the opium poppy produce opium, most of which accumulates in the seed pod. Opium farmers make cuts on the seed pods so that the milky opium bleeds out. Once this opium resin hardens, it can be collected. A typical opium farm can yield nine to twenty pounds of opium per acre.
According to the US Department of Justice, daily heroin users had a higher crime rate and were more likely to commit violent crimes than those who used heroin irregularly. Most heroin users inject the drug, but it can also be smoked or snorted. Drug users who inject heroin risk becoming infected with hepatitis C or the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) if they share needles or other drug paraphernalia. Many other narcotics, such as codeine and oxycodone, are available in pill form. Some narcotics, such as fentanyl, are administered through patches that are placed on the skin.
Bibliography
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