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Hi, my name's Sara Bellum. Welcome to my magazine series exploring the brain's
response to drugs. In this issue, we'll investigate the fascinating facts about
opiates. Some of this information was only recently discovered by leading scientists.
If you've ever seen "The Wizard of Oz," then you've seen the poppy
plant -- the source of a type of drug called opiates. When Dorothy lies down
in a field of poppies, she falls into a deep sleep.
No wonder the Latin name of this plant -- Papaver somniferum -- means "the
poppy that makes you sleepy."
Opiates are made from opium, a white liquid in the poppy plant. They're also
referred to as narcotics. Maybe you've heard of drugs called heroin, morphine
or codeine. These are examples of opiates.
Opiates can produce a quick, intense feeling of pleasure followed by a sense
of well-being and a calm drowsiness. But they can also become an addiction.
If someone uses opiates again and again, his or her brain is likely to become
dependent on them.
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