Opium is a dangerous drug that can lead to many serious repercussions, including overdose, addiction, and sudden death. But is abusing opium really as serious as abusing heroin?
An Opium High = A Heroin High
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, “An opium high is very similar to a heroin high; users experience a euphoric rush, followed by relaxation and the relief of physical pain.”
Many people do not realize this and choose to abuse opium because they believe it is safer than using heroin. In reality, both drugs cause a very similar high, and a heroin user who is unable to get ahold of their drug of choice would absolutely take opium if it were the only drug available to them.
This lack of understanding about opium and the seriousness of using it recreationally can make the drug particularly dangerous. Because there isn’t as much awareness about the problems it abuse can cause as there is about the issues caused by heroin, it makes the drug very harmful and its use extremely risky for those who smoke, inject, or ingest it.
Opium is Abused With Other Drugs
Opium abuse causes many of the same effects as heroin.
Many people take heroin with other substances, but “opium is also abused in combination with other drugs.” These combinations have their own names (including black, which is a combination of marijuana, opium, and meth, and Buddha, which is marijuana spiked with the drug) and can be extremely dangerous. Any time two drugs of abuse are taken together, there is a more intense risk for the user. Unfortunately, this is a common practice for those who use this drug recreationally.
Opium Abuse Leads to Heroin Use
As stated by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Research now suggests that abuse of [prescription opioids] may actually open the door to heroin abuse.” This is partially because heroin is more readily available than prescription opioids and less expensive to purchase illegally. It also creates a high that hits the user faster and, sometimes, can last longer.
All of these same comparisons are true of opium and heroin, respectively, the latter of which is cheaper, easier to obtain, and creates, in many cases, a more quickly achievable high than the former. While both may be dangerous, opium use is likely to lead to heroin use, which makes the former very serious. Many people do not realize the connection between these acts and, therefore, do not consider how dangerous their abuse of a seemingly less intense substance could actually become.
Is Abusing Opium as Serious as Using Heroin?
Because the former can lead to all the same side effects as the latter––including the introduction of an impure substance into the body that can create serious and even deadly physical side effects––the recreational use of opium can easily be considered just as serious as abusing heroin. Opium use is dangerous and can create the same problems that heroin can cause.
If you have been using either substance and you believe you need help in order to quit, call 877-743-0081 (Who Answers?) today. We can help you find a treatment program in your area or answer any questions you may have about opioid drug abuse.
10 Opium Drug Effects -
While opium may seldom be used in its purest form, many prescription medications either contain opium or are synthetically made to produce opium drug effects. Likewise, heroin, one of the most popular opium-derived drugs on the market, produces some of the strongest opium drug effects of all. Opium contains certain alkaloids known for their ability ... 
Dangers of Opiates -
When it comes to pain relief, opiate-based remedies head the pack as the fastest, most effective drugs on the market. Opiates work by slowing down central nervous system processes, and essentially interfering with normal signal transmissions between nerve cells throughout the body. As of 2010, as many as two million people reported having used opiates ... 
Tips for Overcoming Opium Addiction -
Opioid Addiction is a chronic addiction that is lifelong. Opiates are highly addictive and a tolerance is built with each use. As the tolerance is built, the body also then goes through a certain amount of withdrawal after each use and those symptoms increase as the dose needed to achieve the desired high does. As ... 
Historic Opiate Use -
Opium is a drug that has been around for thousands of years according to the Public Broadcast Systems, Frontline, show “The Opium Kings,” opium has been around in some form or another since 34000BC. When its analgesic properties were first discovered. The knowledge of how to process and use it was gradually passed down for ... 
Drugs You Didn’t Know Were Opium and Morphine Derivatives -
Opioids are drugs that are either derived from the poppy plant, from opium and morphine themselves, or are synthetically created to act like opioid analgesics. Certain drugs that are derived straight from opium are called opiates and can be highly addictive while causing physical and psychological dependence and withdrawal symptoms. Opium & Morphine According to ...