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The Impacts of Drugs on the Brain
Noah T Druecker
Department of Psychology, Grand Canyon
University PSY 102: General Psychology
Michelle Griego
April 6, 2024
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The Impacts of Drugs on the Brain
Heroin is a highly addictive and dangerous drug, has both short term and long term
effects on those that choose to use it. In the US, there are 902,000 people that reported heroin
use within the last 12 months (NIDA,2022). Heroin is illegal in the United states and most
countries around the world and in the US possession of this drug can carry with it a 1 to 50 year
prison sentence depending on how much is in possession of the offender. Although this
dangerous substance has been illegal since the anti heroin act of 1924, consumers still indulge to
feel euphoric and a false sense of well-being (Weiman, 2022). Throughout this paper, it will be
described as to what heroin is, what effects it has, and why it is such an addictive drug.
Drug Description
Heroin is a highly addictive opioid processed from Morphine, which is a natural
substance that is taken from the seeds of certain poppy plants (NIDH, 2022). Pure Heroin is
typically sold as a brown or white powder that is infused with sugars, starch, powdered milk or
quinine. Heroin can also come in an impure state that is known as black tar heroin. It is called
this because the crude processing methods used to make this type heroin causes it to be impure,
which gives it a black color and makes it either sticky like tar, or hard like coal (NIDH, 2022).
Black tar heroin can either be injected, dissolved or diluted underneath the consumers skin. The
pure form of heroin is more appealing to the masses, as it is able to be snorted or smoked and
therefore eliminates in the mind of the consumer the bad connotations that come with injected
drugs.
Effects on the Brain
Heroin, like other drugs in the opioid family, affect nerve cells in the brain and body, and
tell them to block pain and make the consumer calm and happy. People us heroin because it gives
The Impacts of Drugs on the Brain
Noah T Druecker
Department of Psychology, Grand Canyon
University PSY 102: General Psychology
Michelle Griego
April 6, 2024
, 2
The Impacts of Drugs on the Brain
Heroin is a highly addictive and dangerous drug, has both short term and long term
effects on those that choose to use it. In the US, there are 902,000 people that reported heroin
use within the last 12 months (NIDA,2022). Heroin is illegal in the United states and most
countries around the world and in the US possession of this drug can carry with it a 1 to 50 year
prison sentence depending on how much is in possession of the offender. Although this
dangerous substance has been illegal since the anti heroin act of 1924, consumers still indulge to
feel euphoric and a false sense of well-being (Weiman, 2022). Throughout this paper, it will be
described as to what heroin is, what effects it has, and why it is such an addictive drug.
Drug Description
Heroin is a highly addictive opioid processed from Morphine, which is a natural
substance that is taken from the seeds of certain poppy plants (NIDH, 2022). Pure Heroin is
typically sold as a brown or white powder that is infused with sugars, starch, powdered milk or
quinine. Heroin can also come in an impure state that is known as black tar heroin. It is called
this because the crude processing methods used to make this type heroin causes it to be impure,
which gives it a black color and makes it either sticky like tar, or hard like coal (NIDH, 2022).
Black tar heroin can either be injected, dissolved or diluted underneath the consumers skin. The
pure form of heroin is more appealing to the masses, as it is able to be snorted or smoked and
therefore eliminates in the mind of the consumer the bad connotations that come with injected
drugs.
Effects on the Brain
Heroin, like other drugs in the opioid family, affect nerve cells in the brain and body, and
tell them to block pain and make the consumer calm and happy. People us heroin because it gives
