What Are The Things Inside Opium That Make It Bad?
By:Kenneth
The Opium poppy, Papaver somniferum
is composed of many different alkaloids. Alkaloids are a large group of chemical compounds which mostly has basic nitrogen atoms in it. Alkaloids are naturally found in plants. An example of an alkaloid is caffeine which is found in coffee and tea.
Opium has many different alkaloids in it and some would even call it a chemical cocktail because of all the things that are in it like sugars, protein, fats etc. The alkaloids that come in the largest quantities in Opium are morphine, codeine, thebaine, noscapine, and papaverine.
Those alkaloids, other then thebaine, are used as analgesics (painkillers) when used individually. They are good analgesics because the patient or user will still be relived of pain but still conscious. There is also about twenty other alkaloids but they are not very significant and do not necessarily make Opium bad.
Morphine is the main alkaloid in Opium with the largest quantity. It is also the most significant and important thing in the drug. Morphine makes up 8-15% of Opium. Morphine has many medical uses mainly for painkilling. But it is and can be highly addictive. Morphine itself has been known to people since 1804 and discovered by Friedrich Serturner.
Codeine is another alkaloid found in Opium similar to morphine. It makes up 1-3% of Opium and is also a pain reliever.
Thebaine or paramorphine is probably the most poisonous alkaloid in Opium. It is rarely used for medicinal purposes and comprises 1-2% of Opium. It is probably ten times more toxic and lethal then morphine.
Noscapine constitutes 4-8% of Opium. It is non-addictive and is used as a cough suppressant. It is also used to treat cancer and stroke sometimes as well.
Papaverine is a white and odorless powder and comprises 1-3% of Opium. It is used medically for people with blood circulation problems.
The main thing I believe that makes Opium bad is because of its addictiveness combined with how it is smoked is bad for the lungs. Opium is extremely addictive and hard to stay away from when you are already addicted to it. Not to mention you are taking in all the other poisons and chemicals that is in the chemical cocktail we call Opium.
Opium 