Origins of addictive substances

Some have asked how serious the drug problem in Zimbabwe is? Are we also exposed to the hardline drugs like cocaine and heroin? The answer is yes.

Allow me to take you through the journey of the origins of such substances and see how we get exposed unknowingly.

Heroin is a highly addictive drug used by millions who are unable to overcome their addiction and continue taking the drug everyday of their lives.

Heroin is derived from the resin of the poppy plant just like opium and morphine. The milky sap like opium is first removed from the pod of the poppy flower, the opium is further refined to make morphine, then further refined to make heroin.

Heroin was first manufactured in 1898 by the German Bayer pharmaceutical company and marketed as treatment for tuberculosis as well as a remedy for morphine addiction.

In the 1850a��s when there was an increase of opium addicts in the USA and the solution was to provide a less potent and supposed non-addictive substitute which was morphine, whose addiction also grew to be a problem than opium.

Heroin was then introduced as a non-addictive substitute substance for morphine addiction, but just like its predecessors it proved to be more addictive than morphine and so also a non-addictive substitute substance had to be sought and that is methadone developed as a pain killer in 1937 by a German scientist. It was used as treatment for heroin addiction but proved to be more addictive than heroin.

The death rate from heroin addiction has grown worldwide and we are not exempt from the statistics.

From the above insight, we realise the graduation of drug or substance use, to abuse, tolerance and dependency resulting in deaths. Theft of such medications from hospitals and pharmacies is an indicator and also the number of prescription frauds going around for people to access such drugs.

The high sales of opium medications, like heavy pain killers and the unnoticed desire to take more than prescribed by individuals and continued dependency to calm supposed pain with these.

The Zimbabwean population have fallen into the trap as evidenced now by the increase in abuse of the cough mixture affectionately known as a�?Ngomaa�? and also the psychiatric drugs.

The codeine intake through this cough mixture when in the body changes form and begins to release morphine, and this is the reason why the users are well known for the a�?stickinga�? swag.

The effects of abuse of such substances is slowed breathing, hypothermia, inflammation of the gums, reduced immune system, loss of memory and intellectual performance, insomnia, loss of appetite, muscular weakness and partial paralysis just to name a few. Continued use leads to death. Seek professional help if affected.

Mthandazo Ndlovu is a drug prevention and rehabilitation expert.A� For help and more information contact +263772399734 or [email protected]