| Drug | Dependence
Physical / Psychological |
How Used | Duration (hours) |
| Opium | High / High | Oral, Smoked | 3-6 |
| Morphine | High / High | Oral, Smoked, Injected | 3-6 |
| Codeine | Moderate / Moderate | Oral, Injected | 3-6 |
| Heroin | High / High | Smoked, Sniffed, Injected | 3-6 |
| Hydromorphone, Dilaudid | High / High | Oral, Injected | 3-6 |
| Meperidine, Promethazine | High / High | Oral, Injected | 3-6 |
| Methadone | High / High | Oral, Injected | 12-24 |
| Tramadol | Low-Moderater / Low-Moderater | Oral | 3-12 |
| Oxycodone, Percodan Oxycontin | Low-High / Low-High | Oral, Injected | 3-12 |
What are Narcotics?
Narcotic drugs include opium, opium derivatives (morphine, codeine, heroin), and their
synthetic substitutes.
Possible Effects
Effects include reduction of pain, drowsiness, apathy, euphoria, constipation, nausea, vomiting,
constriction of pupils, redness and flushing, difficulty with urination, and respiratory depression.
Non-sterile injection of narcotics may lead to skin, lung and brain abscesses, endocarditis,
hepatitis, and HIV/AIDS.
Symptoms of Overdose
Symptoms of overdose are respiratory depression, unresponsiveness, and death. Vomiting may also be a symptom. Narcotic overdose can be effectively treated in a hospital emergency room.
Withdrawal Syndrome
Withdrawal symptoms are typically watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, yawning, restlessness,
sweating, irritability, loss of appetite, and intense craving to use more drugs. As withdrawal
progresses, symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, muscle spasms, bone pain, and chills.
Withdrawal last from 5 to 15 days. Hospital emergency rooms and detoxification centers
understand the treatment of narcotic withdrawal.
Indications of Possible Misuse
Lethargy, drowsiness
Constricted pupils and reduced vision
Shallow breathing
Needle or track marks on inner arms or other parts of the body
Redness and raw nostrils from inhaling heroin
Withdrawal symptoms such as sweating, vomiting, chills or other withdrawal symptoms listed above
Use or possession of paraphernalia including syringes, rubber tubing, bent spoons, and eye droppers
Prescription medication used in higher doses than prescribed
Narcotic pain prescriptions from more than one doctor
Frequent trips to emergency rooms or other medical centers that result in prescriptions for pain medicine
Use of pain medicine prescribed to other people