DRCNet Response:  Those who wish a good background on the history of heroin, the heroin laws, and the dangers of heroin itself should read

From the Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs:

• Chapter 1 - Nineteenth Century America - "a dope fiends paradise"
• Chapter 2 - Opiates for pain relief, for tranquilization, and for pleasure
• Chapter 3 - What kinds of people used opiates?
• Chapter 4 - Effects of opium, morphine and heroin on addicts
• Chapter 5 - Some eminent narcotics addicts
• Chapter 6 - Opium smoking is outlawed
• Chapter 7 - The Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906
• Chapter 8 - The Harrison Narcotic Act (1914)
• Chapter 9 - Tightening up the Harrison Act
• Chapter 10 - Why our narcotics laws have failed: 1) Heroin is an addicting drug
• Chapter 11 - Why our narcotics laws have failed: 2) The economics of the black market
• Chapter 12 - The heroin "overdose" mystery and other occupational hazards of heroin addiction
• Chapter 13 - Supplying heroin legally to addicts
• Chapter 14 - Enter methadone maintenance
• Chapter 15 - How well does methadone maintenance work?
• Chapter 16 - Methadone side effects
• Chapter 17 - Why methadone maintenance works
• Chapter 18 - Methadone maintenance spreads
• Chapter 19 - The future of methadone maintenance
• Chapter 20 - Heroin on the youth drug scene - and in Vietnam

Narcotics

• Narcotics Photographs

Narcotics of Natural Origin

• Opium
• Morphine
• Codeine
• Thebaine

Semi-Synthetic Narcotics

• Heroin
• Hydromorphone
• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone

Synthetic Narcotics

• Meperdine
• Methadone and Related Drugs
• Fentanyl
• Pentazocine
• Schedule II
• Schedule III
• Schedule IV