What are they? Narcotics are drugs that act as pain relievers and sleep inducers (downers). Opiates are naturally occurring narcotics, while opium-based narcotics are man-made. Most opiates are found in the poppy flower.  Narcotics generally cause relaxation with an immediate "rush". Street Names: Junk, smack, opium, horse, brown sugar, black tar, dope, Big H, Common Names: Morphine, Codeine, Heroin, Methadone How is it taken? Narcotics can be taken in a variety of ways, the most common being with intravenous needles. Narcotics can also be smoked in pipes (or mixed with marijuana), inhaled through the nose, or obtained through a misuse of cold medicines containing codeine. The Scoop on Narcotics: Heroin is by far the most used narcotic on the market (90% of all narcotic abuse is heroin). However, there are several significant risks associated with heroin use. Heroin is extremely expensive, so many dealers will ?cut" it by adding baking soda, flour, sugar, or even baby powder. When a user buys a drug, he/she never knows how pure it really is- a national average is estimated around 35% pure. 35% pure means that 65% of the injected drug is composed of some other substance. Short Term Effects of Narcotics:

• Euphoria
• Drowsiness
• Loss of pain sensations
• Constipation
• Urinary problems
• Restlessness
• Nausea

Long Term effects of Narcotics:

• Inability to resist disease and infection
• Inflammation of the veins
• Bronchial congestion
• Hepatitis
• Skin abscesses or other growths

Tolerance: Tolerance to narcotics develops faster than almost any other drug. Even after one use, a person can be highly addicted. As soon as a person has come down from a narcotic-induced high, they immediately feel cravings for more of the drug. Withdrawal: Withdrawal symptoms from narcotics, especially heroin, can start as early as 12 hours after the last injection of the drug. Many experience shaking, vomiting, diarrhea,  aches, chills, severe cramping, and stomach problems. Behavioral Indications or signs of Possible Misuse

• Scars (tracks) caused by injections
• Constricted (pin-point) pupils
• Loss of appetite
• Sniffles, watery eyes, cough, nausea
• Lethargy, drowsiness, nodding
• Syringes, bent spoons, needles

What's  all this talk about Methadone and Narcotic Antagonists? Recently, there have been great advances in finding medical treatments for heroin, codeine, morphine, and other narcotic addictions. One of these treatments involves a daily dose of medically administered methadone (a narcotic). It is carefully monitored to slowly lower a person's dependence on narcotics. Another treatment is ?narcotic antagonists' (which are a class of drugs that prohibit narcotics from giving the body a high). Should a person undergoing narcotic antagonist treatment use a narcotic, he or she would feel violently ill, and instantly experience withdrawal symptoms- it is a form of preventive medicine.

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Sources: 1.  Drug Free Resource Net  http://www.drugfreeamerica.org 2.  Freevibe (Concrete Media Connection) http://www.freevibe.com 3.  ONDCP Pulse Check 4.  U.S. Department of Justice 5.  Wisconsin Clearinghouse