Book Reviews About Opium Related Drugs

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Heroin

From the nomadic tribes of the Middle East centuries ago, to the streets of America's cities today, this book examines the origin, use, effects, pharmacology, psychology, sociology and politics of heroin. About 300 pages, it is broken into 4 sections: the drug, the addict, treatment, ans society.

It relates personal stories of some of those people who use the drug and explains the history of medical treatments that have been used to help people stop. Recommended reading for people with an interest in heroin and to addiction treatment professionals.

Hydroponic Heroin:
How to Grow Opium Poppies Without Soil

Although this book is out of print, it is worth getting if you can find it for a good price. It shows how to grow opium poppies with a hydroponic set up. From how to sprout the seeds and care for the plants to harvesting. This is the book to get if you want to try growing the opium poppy indoors, in a hydroponic environment.

A short history of opium is presented along with the risks of addiction, pain of quitting, obtaining materials, laws, dosages, overdose antidotes and more. Shows how to harvest raw opium from the opium poppies you have grown and describes how to convert the opium to morphine or heroin.

In the Arms of Morpheus:
The Tragic History of Laudanum, Morphine, and Patent Medicines

Solid history of laudanum, morphine, and patent medicines that will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the subject. In addition to the solid text of the book, there are many ads, photos, cartoons, and other illustrations. A filmography and a bibliography round out this must have book.

The book looks at the positive and negative side of morphine and its counterparts, particularly the use of morphine in patent medicines, which became a powerful factor motivating subsequent strict regulation of once widely and legally available concoctions.

Opium: A Journey Through Time

Traces the 5000 year history of opium from ancient times to the present. Just over 100 pages with full color images, the book won't take a long time to read.

Not a detailed examination, the book is interesting and provides most of the major events in the history of opium. A good introduction to the subject in an attractive format.

Opium: A History

Traces opium's history from the first evidence of poppy cultivation (possibly as early as 4,000 B.C.) to the drug wars of today. Explores its uses in different cultures, its roles in British and Chinese political affairs, its use by artists and musicians, and its horrifying ramifications for addicts. Written with admirable attention to detail.

Informative book details opium and its derivatives such as morphine and heroin. It is fascinating to learn about the effect this drug has had on various cultures such as China and India. Anyone wanting to obtain information for academic purposes or just to learn more about this drug will enjoy this book.

Opium:
A Portrait of the Heavenly Demon

A picture history of opium. Photos, drawings, book covers, sketches, paintings, engravings, and other artwork featuring opium related scenes and paraphernalia are found on almost every page of this beautiful book. Includes a comprehensive overview of written works throughout history which feature opium as their theme.

The focus is on the wealth of images and literature celebrating or condemning this fabled drug, and on the writers, artists and photographers who have tried to capture the essence of opium's allure. All the works mentioned are in the bibliography as a resource for further reading.

Opium Culture:
The Art and Ritual of the Chinese Tradition

Although the title makes it sound strictly like a history book, in addition this is a very good introduction to smoking opium that anyone who has access to opium (but isn't sure how to smoke it) should read.

Thorough instructions on how to prepare the opium for use and how to use an opium pipe for the purpose. Includes addiction, withdrawal and medical issues as well as cultural insights and a social history of opium.

Opium for the Masses:
A Practical Guide to
Growing Poppies and Making Opium

Takes you through the history, chemistry, use, cultivation, harvesting, storage, and other aspects of opium. This is a fairly comprehensive introduction to opium although it is only about 100 pages.

Shows how to extract the drug from legally obtainable sources. There is some information about how to grow and harvest opium poppies, but not enough to be used as a single grow guide.

Opium Poppy:
Botany, Chemistry, and Pharmacology

A comprehensive resource that explores the opium poppy's origin, cultivation, distribution, chemistry, uses and abuses from ancient civilizations through the present. It covers plant and seed production and crop improvement, and explores the chemical and pharmaceutical by-products of the opium poppy.

For professionals and students of pharmacy, botany, chemistry, medicine, pharmacology, or those with a serious interest in the subject.

Opium Poppy Garden:
The Way of a Chinese Grower

A good small book (less than 100 pages). Part one, the first two-thirds of the book, is a novel about a young Chinese immigrant opium grower in South America. The second part of the book shows (using black and white photos and illustrations) how to cultivate and harvest the opium poppy outdoors with traditional tools that are easy to make and use.

Although less than 20 pages are about growing opium, it contains enough info to be used as a single introductory opium grow guide. If you grow poppies this book might be worth the price just for the page about how to harvest the opium capsule so it provides a maximum yield.

OXY

OXY is short for oxycodone, the main ingredient in oxycontin, percocet, percodan, roxycodone and several other pain relief drugs. It is obtained from thebaine primarily found in two types of poppies (Papaver somniferum and Papaver bracteatum). This book describes how to isolate oxycodone and other opium based drugs for yourself.

Includes info about pharmacology, extracting opiate alkaloids from poppy straw and/or poppy capsules, thebaine extraction and purification, preparation of oxycodone from thebaine, morphine extraction from opium, heroin base extraction from morphine, heroin extraction from heroin base and more. Not for the lay person as you will need to know chemistry to perform the task.

Poppies:
A Guide to the Poppy Family
in the Wild and in Cultivation

This is a book devoted solely to growing poppies, with coverage of not only the true poppies (Papaver) but all the members of the poppy family. Several pages about growing poppies in general and 7 pages about the history, uses and varieties of papaver somniferum (the opium poppy).

Not enough information to be used as a guide to growing opium poppies on its own. It might be of interest to the opium poppy grower because of the 20 or so, small full color photos (primarily while flowering) of different types of papaver somniferum.

The Heroin User's Handbook

The author is a doctor and former heroin user. He does a very good job of describing heroin from the users point of view. Although it is written about heroin, anyone who uses opium based drugs will benefit from reading it. An important part of the book is how to use this class of drugs without becoming addicted.

In addition to how to use without getting addicted, the book covers many other aspects of heroin use including how to get it, safe injection techniques, smoking and snorting procedures, chemically purifying street heroin, dealing with the legal system, social aspects of heroin use, detoxing yourself, and more.

The Little Book of Heroin

The author recounts heroin's history, details its chemistry, tells how users can minimize negative effects, and demystifies the life of a user.

From buying to administering to quitting and staying clean. Less than 100 informative pages and can be read in a single evening.

The Little Book of Opium

A look at opium and the drugs derived from it (morphine, codeine, etc). Briefly describes such things as the history of opium, chemistry, effects, growing it, and addictive properties.

Well written, it is more of an information guide for users than a history book. Not technical and easy to read and understand, over 125 pages with black and white illustrations and diagrams.

The Mystique of Opium

Compact (less than 100 pages) and well illustrated, this is a well put together book that does a good job of describing the history of opium.

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