What Are The Physical Effects of Opiate Addiction?
Opiates slow down the respiratory system, which slows down breathing. Excessive amounts of these drugs can completely shut down a person’s respiratory system, which stops breathing and causes death. Heroin penetrates the brain quicker than other opiates. This is why addicts often prefer it. Most opiates are taken orally except for heroin, which is a powder. Heroin users generally begin by sniffing the powder and over time advance to injecting. The user dissolves the powder in water and heats it. It is then injected either subcutaneously or intravenously. A heroin abuser may inject up to four times per day. Injecting heroin intravenously gives the user the greatest intensity and the most rapid onset of euphoria, within 7 to 8 seconds. Injecting heroin into the muscle gives a slower onset of euphoria – usually 5 to 8 minutes. When sniffed or smoked the euphoria peaks in about 10 to 15 minutes. Heroin at the street level has usually been diluted or cut with similar powders (usually glucos
