Heroin: Helpful or Hurtful

Heroin has been known to be both helpful and hurtful to people. Heroin is a powerful opiate drug that has been around since as far back as the 1800’s. It can be traced back to China where the seed pods were cooked into a sticky substance that was then used for smoking. Heroin comes in different forms and can be either snorted or liquefied and injected. Heroin is most known for its negative effects on people but are also known to have positive effects as well.

The big question that people are debating over is if heroin should or should not be legal as a pain reliever for terminally ill patients. Studies have shown that heroin can also have a positive impact on patients and yet have a very little impact compared to other medical drugs that are currently in use. There are plenty of other drugs in the medical industry that can be used but some are trying to argue for heroin to be legal to use for medical practice. However, since opioids are strongly addictive and becoming harder to acquire, people are starting to substitute for heroin instead. Not only should it be up to the medical practitioner’s discretion, it should also be up to the individual also. If its in accordance with the law, then it should be up to the one distributing it and the receiving it. Its been tested that heroin given orally produces about the same results as one who was given morphine. Morphine given orally however, over time becomes weaker since the body begins to develop a tolerance for it. Heroin when injected is proven to be two and a half times more potent then morphine. If a heroin addiction is ever developed, it is difficult to overcome. Heroin and pain reliever deaths by overdose have been increasing since 2010. Heroin can be both a hinder and a help under the right circumstances. It’s all about your stand and if you believe it should become legal for terminal ill patients.