Opiates

Opium comes from the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). It is the coagulated juice from the unripe capsule. Opium and its natural and synthetic derivatives are narcotics: narcos, meaning sleep.  It is an ingredient in morphine, codeine, and thebaine.  Several illegal drugs are produced from the opium poppy.  The most common are morphine and heroin.  Morphine is also included here with opium, however heroin is described later on.

In its natural state it is a milky white, gummy like substance.  It can be smoked and chewed.  It can also be drunk in its liquid form.  When done so the liquid is think and very sweet.  Opium is an ingredient in morphine and codeine.  Opium has probably been grown and used since about 4000 BC.  Medically it is used to produce morphine and codeine, which are used for pain relief and syrups to suppress coughs.

Toxic effects

The way opiates work is by depressing the central nervous system.  By doing so the respiratory system slows or in extreme cases fails and the person will suffocate to death.  The lungs can also fill with fluid, the heart to beat slowly and the blood pressure to fall.  When taken both cause euphoric effects, hence it is good for pain relief.

Symptoms

Once there is an excess amount in the system opium causes the following effects :

1.    Nausea.

2.    Vomiting.

3.    Constipation.

4.    Shallow slow breathing.

5.    Very low or very high blood pressure.

6.    Severe dehydration.

7.    Loss of sense of time and space.

8.    Cardiovascular depression.

9.    Deep coma.

10.Respiratory failure followed by death.

11.As death approaches the pupils may dilate.

Lethal dose

200 mg of morphine will cause serious problems as described above.  Where as, 2 g of opium is lethal.