Heroin is a very widespread drug American culture today. Heroin is not a new drug, it showed up in the late 1960’s. Heroin is an opium derivative and, as with any of the opium derivatives, there is a strong physical/mental addiction that comes when Heroin is abused. In the mid to late 1800’s, opium was somewhat a popular drug. Retreats where opium could be done were spread throughout the Wild West. The arrival of opium during this period was due in large part to the drug being transported into the country thru Chinese immigrants who came here to work on the railroads. True American history tells us that well-known names of the period like Kit Carson and Wild Bill Hickock actually visited opium dens more frequently than saloons. The stereo-typed …show more content…
In 1810 morphine was developed as a pain killer. It was thought of as a wonder drug because it removed severe pain connected with medical operations or traumatic damage. Morphine left the consumer in a totally numb overjoyed dream-state. Because of the intense euphoric side effects, in 1811 Dr. F.W.A. Serturner, a German pharmacist named the drug was after the Greek god of dreams Morpheus. Heroin comes from opium poppies refined in four main source areas: Southeast and Southwest Asia, South America, and Mexico. Although Afghanistan crops the mainstream of the world's heroin, South American heroin has become the most predominant type obtainable in the U.S., predominantly in the South, Northeast, and Midwest. The specific type known as "black tar" from Mexico, is a less pure form of heroin, is mostly found in the western and southwestern United States. This heroin may be gummy like, like tar used for roofing or hard like coal, with its color ranging from dark brown to black. Street heroin is hardly ever pure it may range from a white to dark brown powder with an unpredictable