Interesting reading - in case you haven't yet seen this:

[anthropod]

Includes Consumers Union report and fascinating historical material:

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/heroin/opiates.htm

Modern day anti-drug crusaders would do well to read the Conumers Union report. They would find out what we already know: Prohibition is counterproductive.

[hovadagod]

Our nineteenth-century forbears correctly perceived the major objection to the opiates. They are addicting. Though the word "addiction" was seldom used during the nineteenth century, the phenomenon was well understood. The true nature of the narcotic evil becomes visible, the Catholic World article pointed out, when someone who has been using an opiate for some time attempts to give up its use. Suddenly his eyes are opened to his folly and he realizes the startling fact that he is in the coils of a serpent as merciless as the boa-constrictor and as relentless as fate. With a firm determination to free himself he discontinues its use. Now his sufferings begin and steadily increase until they become unbearable. The tortures of Dives are his; but unlike that miser, he has only to stretch forth his hand to find oceans with which to satisfy his thirst. That human nature is not often equal to so extraordinary a self-denial affords little cause for astonishment. . . . Again and again he essays release from a bondage so humiliating, but meets with failure only, and at last submits to his fate a confirmed opium-eater. 2 (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cu1.html#Anchor-17304)

This is some good stuff Anthro...did you loose a foot by the way?

So it is about money after all...I guess we're safe until people stop using pharma opiates;)

I've gotta hook you up with some rep. points for this one...but there have been so many good posts lately, I have to wait until 24 hous is up.

[anthropod]

...did you loose a foot by the way?


OK, after pondering this for awhile, I finally give up; esta pregunta no comprendo.

[hovadagod]

My bad...I didn't mean for you to waste your time. It makes no sense. At the time I was hyped up on adderall and thinking that anthro is one. Now you should get it. Unipod would be the name that correlates with the joke. Sorry.

[anthropod]

Oh, OK, no prob; I was sure there was something to it and it was just starting to get to me that I couldn't figure it out.

BTW: just finished reading the 1867 Harper's magazine account ("What shall they do...") from the above site.
While there is a certain sort of lurid tone to a lot of these 19th century accounts (the sort of thing seen in "Reefer Madness" for example), and that one being no exception, it is, nevertheless, believably harrowing.
I found the physician's speculations regarding the physiological and psychological processes that occur during addiction and subsequent detoxification to be particularly fascinating. Good reading for anyone before they or someone they know that's starting to "experiment" to at least be aware of before they get in too deep. Of course it must be kept in mind that this was about someone with unlimed access to pure morphine; it just started off with opium.

[hovadagod]

Yeah....I did feel bad because I would of thought of that for a while. Anthropod, unipod, pseudopod...sorry.


I wish I had time to read more of that stuff now but I have to read about professional responisibility and how to write an appellate brief just in case any of you fools get into trouble.:confused-

[hovadagod]

We have to keep this one at the top. There are not enough people realizing the massive informaion compiled here.

[Paregoric Kid]

the most interesting thing is about deaths wrongly labelled heroin overdose. it seems that most overdoses may be reactions to quinine.
"The majority of deaths," Dr. Baden told the AMA physicians, "are due to an acute reaction to the intravenous injection of the heroin-quinine-sugar mixture. This type of death is often referred to as an 'overdose,' which is a misnomer. Death is not due to a pharmacological overdose in the vast majority of cases." 31 (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cu12.htm#Anchor-30-17304)
At the same AMA committee meeting and at a meeting of the Medical Society of the County of New York, Dr. Baden cited six separate lines of evidence overturning the "heroin overdose" theory.
First, when the packets of heroin found near the bodies of dead addicts are examined, they do not differ from ordinary packets. "No qualitative or quantitative differences" are found. 32 (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cu12.htm#Anchor-31-51540) This rules out the possibility that some incredibly stupid processor may have filled a bag with pure heroin instead of the usual adulterated mix.
Second, when the syringes used by addicts immediately before dying are examined, the mixture found in them does not contain more heroin than usual.
Third, when the urine of addicts allegedly dead of overdose is analyzed, there is no evidence of overdose.
Fourth, the tissues surrounding the site of the fatal injection show no signs of high heroin concentration.
Fifth, neophytes unaccustomed to heroin rather than addicts tolerant to opiates would be expected to be susceptible to death from overdose. But "almost all of those dying" of alleged overdose, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner Baden reported, "are long-term users."
Sixth, again according to Dr. Baden, "addicts often 'shoot' in a group, all using the same heroin supply, and rarely does more than one addict die at such a time." 33 (http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/cu/cu12.htm#Anchor-31-51540)