Heroin Addiction in India

Heroin is an opioid that creates a euphoric effect in individuals that consume it. It is a recreational drug that was first produced in 1874 from morphine by CR Alder White – Founder of the Royal Institute of Chemistry in the UK. Morphine is in turn derived from the opium poppy which grows in South America and Asia. As of 2015, over 400 tons of opium was produced of which 2/3rds originated in Afghanistan. Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan today form the “Golden Crescent” that is now a major source of Heroin in the world.

Heroin in India

According to India’s Social Justice Ministry’s report in the year 2019 – over 50 million people in the country have a drug abuse problem. In India, consumption of opioid drugs is 3 times higher compared to other countries that could further exacerbate the heroin problem. In September this year, India’s Department of Revenue Intelligence raided a shipment in Mundra port and seized over 3.2 tonnes of pure heroin from Afghanistan. Overall seizure of heroin has doubled over the last 3 years and this year over 6 tonnes of heroin was seized by authorities in India. The illegal drug menace in India is over 3k crores as of this year and rising fast both in the metro cities and smaller towns.

Short-term effects of Heroin

Heroin is an opioid drug and consuming it affects the opioid receptors in the brain. It is usually injected(into a vein) but is also inhaled, snorted or smoked. Upon consumption, the following effects can be felt immediately and could last a few hours:

• Feelings of intense pleasure and/or relaxation
• Relief from pain
• Lowered heart rate 
• Slowed breathing

Studies reveal that over 3/4th of all heroin users suffer from mental health issues conditions such as anxiety, depression, bi-polar or attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder. Heroin is extremely addictive and just a couple of heroin uses can trigger an addiction. Continued use of heroin over an extended period of time may help build a tolerance to the drug wherein a user may need to consume larger quantities to feel high again. And an overdose of drug can result in a lack of oxygen which can adversely impact breathing and lead to death. 

Heroin and its relation to painkillers

The surging popularity and abuse of prescription painkillers has further exacerbated the problem of heroin addiction. Opioid painkillers are also chemically similar to heroin as they also find their origins in the opium poppy. Those addicted to painkillers eventually end up abusing heroin as it is far more intoxicating and stronger than the painkillers. 

Heroin sales in India

Pure heroin costs a measly Rs. 10,000 per kilo in Afghanistan, but the same heroin shoots to over Rs. 50 Lacs per kilo when it reaches the shores of India and over 1 crore in countries such as the United States. Low cost heroin also called “brown sugar” or “smack” is available from Rs. 300 to 1500 per gram in India and constitutes a larger portion of the heroin sold in the country. It is cheaper and is usually adulterated with baking soda. It was popular in the 1990s and has recently emerged as a popular drug currently in circulation since the last 5 years. Heroin is also sometimes laced with other dangerous drugs such as fentanyl that can lead to overdose and death.

Long-term effects of Heroin

Prolonged use of heroin can be extremely dangerous and likely effects of such abuse can include:

• Collapsed veins and high risk of HIV, Hepatitis A & B due to reusing injections
• Liver and kidney diseases
• Lung infections
• Adverse impact on cardiovascular health
• Mental health disorders