Everyone knows about the most dangerous illegal substances out there and heroin is always at the top of that list. Heroin is classified as an opioid, which is a psychoactive chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors. Opioid receptors are found in the central and peripheral nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract, which makes them the most deadly.
Opioids have been around for a very long time due to their painkilling and sedation effects and are among the world’s oldest known drugs as a result. Opioids are so common because of their many medical uses. Codeine, Oxycodone, and morphine are a few of the most common painkillers used to treat acute pain and/or to wean users off more severe opioids. Unfortunately, because so many people have seen how successful these drugs can be in a controlled environment like a hospital, they have become some of the most sought after drugs illegally on the streets.
Millions of people leave hospitals with Codeine, Oxycodone, or Hydrocodone prescriptions every year and sadly, that has become a very dangerous thing. These drugs outside of controlled environments are not taken as prescribed and can be very deadly. Since so many people become addicted to opioids each year, something known as Opioid Replacement Therapy has become increasingly popular.
Many people who seek out Opioid Replacement Therapy have mild cases and have grown a slight addiction to a prescription pain pill that had following a hospital visit. However, there are addicts who find themselves referred to Opioid Replacement Therapy programs as a last resort to overcome a heroin addiction.
Opioid Replacement Therapy is a medical procedure or replacing an illegal opioid drug, such as heroin, with a longer acting but less euphoric opioid. The substituted opioids are most commonly methadone and buprenorphine and are taken under medical supervision.
The main goal behind this replacement therapy is to help an opioid addict regain a normal life. This is done while being treated with a substance that stops him or her from experiencing withdrawal symptoms or drug cravings. The replacement drug does not provide them with a strong euphoria either, which helps to weak them off that addiction.
Opioid Replacement Therapy is the most effective treatment for improving overall healthy and living conditions and has been proven to be the most effective treatment in reducing mortality. This treatment also helps to lower the overall costs for society that are a result of drug-related crimes and subsequent prosecutions.
