Opioids

1. Opioids

2. Fentanyl Fentanyl is a prescription pain reliever that is used for medical purposes as well as recreational use. It is extremely potent and highly addictive. Medical Uses for Fentanyl include: • Anesthesia for patients undergoing heart surgery of for patients with poor heart function. • Management of breakthrough pain in cancer patients who are already receiving opioid medication for underlying persistent pain. • Pain management in patients who have persistent, moderate to severe chronic pain requiring continuous round the clock opioids. • Patients who are opioid tolerant. Recreational Use of Fentanyl include: • Sold in place of high grade heroin, referred to as “China White” • Added to heroin to amplify the high.

3. Effects of fentanyl on the body • Extreme happiness • drowsiness • nausea • confusion • constipation • sedation • problem breathing • unconsciousness • Hallucinations • Seizures

4. Oxycondone The official name is Oxycodone but on the streets it's known as Oxycotton. When bought on the street, oxycodone is crushed and snorted to deliver a powerful and fast high that many users say is better than heroin. Oxycodone is a slow-release narcotic prescribed for pain caused by cancer, severe arthritis, sickle cell disease and nerve damage. The active ingredient in the drug is a morphine derivative. Oxycodone is a relatively inexpensive pain killer earning its reputation as “Hillbilly Heroin”. Besides it being chewed, crushed and snorted it can also be mixed into a solution and injected. This engages in an intense “high” or euphoric state, similar to that of heroin or opium.

5. Effects of Oxycodone on the body • In tablet form the drug provides long-lasting, timed-release relief for moderate to severe chronic pain • If the drug is chewed, crushed, and snorted, or dissolved in water and injected, they provide an immediate, intense rush similar to that of heroin • A person high on oxy may be energetic and talkative before becoming relaxed and drowsy. • Basic consequences after taking the drug: seizures, fainting, confusion, and cold clammy skin, constipation, itching, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, vomiting and nausea. • Worst consequences: coma and death experience constipation, itching, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, vomiting and nausea.

6. Ways To Administer Opioids There are many ways to administer opioids, you can: -Take them by pill or liquid form. -Nasal Sprays/Snorting or Skin Patches. -Suppository: a small, round or cone-shaped object that is put inside the body usually through your bottom. Once it is inside, it dissolves/melts and releases the medication. -A shot into the vein or the muscle. -A shot in a space near your spinal cord and/or an implanted pump.

7. General Effects in the Body • Produces a pleasant, drowsy state in which cares are forgotten and the senses are dulled and pain is reduced • Opioids act by altering the neurotransmitters that control movement, moods, and a number of body functions, including body functions, including body temperature regulation, digestion, and breathing • Low doses: experience euphoria followed by drowsiness • HIgh doses: Users can experience depressed respiration (difficulty breathing), loss of consciousness, coma, and death • When first used can cause nausea, vomiting, and a negative mood instead of euphoria • Chronic users usually experience dry mouth, dry, itchy skin, constipation, and vision problems

8. Is the drug addictive? • YES! Opioids such as Fentanyl and Oxycodone are addictive. • All opioids work the same. They are designed to alleviate pain. The way the pain is treated is through the release of endorphins ( feel good chemicals) which numb the pain, but that rush of endorphins is what makes opioids such as Oxycodone and Fentanyl addictive. Once a person experiences the rush of endorphins they want more. • https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prescription-drug-abuse/in-depth/how-opioid-addiction-occurs/art-20360372

9. Social issues • Drug abuse is the catalyst for many major social problems, including drugged driving, violence, stress, and child abuse, and it can further lead to homelessness, crime, and joblessness. • Opioid crisis: This issue has become a public health crisis with devastating consequences including increases in opioid misuse and related overdoses, as well as the rising incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy. The increase in injection drug use has also contributed to the spread of infectious diseases including HIV and hepatitis C. https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis