Heroin is getting a lot of attention in the media because of the recent death of Philip Seymour Hoffman due to the drug. Although I am a HUGE fan of Hoffman and his work, that's not why I want to talk to you about heroin.
I want to talk to you about this insidious drug because it's personal, because I HATE it, and because my brother is a recovering heroin addict. You may think heroin isn't something that will ever touch your life or threaten to kill someone you love, but I'm here to tell you that chances are very high that you or someone you know will be affected by heroin.
Knowledge is power and you need to know these facts about heroin for yourself, your family, and most importantly, your kids.
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Here are 7 facts everyone needs to know about heroin:
- Heroin is a highly addictive drug that is processed from morphine. It all starts with the seed pod of the Asian poppy plant.
- If you've heard that you can only get addicted to heroin from injecting it, that's a lie. Whether you snort it, smoke it, or shoot it, it is addictive—one of the most addictive substances on the planet, in fact.
- The word heroin comes from the German word for heroic because of the feeling of power and euphoria it gives. There is in fact nothing about it that is heroic and with continued use it will turn a person into its slave.
- You think you know what a heroin addict looks like? You are wrong. Heroin has no biases or prejudices. It welcomes users from all backgrounds regardless of age, race, or socio-economic status.
- There is an ER visit every two minutes in the U.S. due to heroin use. That adds up to about 262,974 ER visits a year.
- It hurts to quit. Breaking the habit can even kill you if you are heavily addicted and go cold turkey.
- You may quit heroin, but it won't quit you. There will be cravings for the rest of your life, and it will be an on-going struggle.
That is the ugly truth that I can share with you about heroin. I wish I could say I learned it all from research, but unfortunately that's not the case. It's personal, it's ugly, and I hate it.
There is a part of me that will always worry about my brother, that will always be waiting for that awful call. I hope the call never comes, but I know that once heroin gets the upper hand, well…I don't even want to say it.
Heroin is experiencing a huge surge in popularity and has already taken the lives of so many, famous and not-famous, young and old. Please talk to your kids about this horrible drug, let them know how truly awful and dangerous it is. Don't assume that they know.
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