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> "The synthetic and highly addictive drug" Funny use of the word 'synthetic' to add extra spookiness. Something like 60% of first-world medicines are natural

> "The synthetic and highly addictive drug" Funny use of the word 'synthetic' to add extra spookiness. Something like 60% of first-world medicines are natural origin or secondary metabolites of natural origin - the other 40% are all synthetic. [1] [1] https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/br.2017.909 https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/br.2017.909

jimmygrapes 5y ago
I wondered this myself, since they usually spell out "synthetic opioid" when referring to fentanyl and its ilk, ostensibly to compare it against naturally derived opioids. I have no idea how many in use today are naturally derived; maybe "synthetic" was always a scare term on that context?
- philipkglass 5y ago
  The only two opioids naturally found in the poppy that are also used in medicine are codeine and morphine. All others are semi-synthetic (chemical modifications of poppy alkaloids) or fully synthetic. Even most codeine is made by methylating morphine, since the poppy under-produces it relative to medical demand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid#Semisynthetic_and_synthetic_opioids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid#Semisynthetic_and_synth...
- worik 5y ago
  "Synthetic opioid" is used to describe an opioid not derived from the morphine in the opium poppy (or the codeine in the dried poppy) I am not a doctor: Of the very powerful "powder" drugs heroin is the safest as it has very little effect on the involuntary respiratory system which is the route that opiates take to kill. "Nodding off" on synthetic opiates leads commonly to death (which is why you always prod a sleeping junky - wake up!!) but not so much on heroin. But it is much safer to smoke opium, if you wish to have such a habit. Much less chance of death and disease. So, you cruel, nay, sadistic lawmakers: Legalise opium! But people popping pills are nearly invisible and die quietly - people smoking opium fill up establishments, make funny smells and do not conveniently die off in the corner.....
- mlyle 5y ago
  Note that semi-synthetic is a category too that "synthetic opioid" generally excludes. Natural opioids: codeine, morphine. Semi-synthetic opioids: heroin, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc. Synthetic opioids: methadone (though this is usually excluded from the reporting of "synthetic opioid overdose deaths" for various reasons), demerol, fentanyl, lots of -fentanyl analogs, etc.
viktorcode 5y ago
In general, "synthetic" drugs are more of a menace due to the ease of transportation and production. They don't have to be produced in specific geographic regions and can be very powerful, which adds up to dangerous combination.
mlyle 5y ago
Here it's reasonable to differentiate between natural opioids, semi-synthetic opioids, and fully synthetic opioids. It's not a perfect measure, but the degree of potency tends to vary with the category and the fully synthetic opioids do not rely upon poppies for precursors.

jimmygrapes 5y ago

I wondered this myself, since they usually spell out "synthetic opioid" when referring to fentanyl and its ilk, ostensibly to compare it against naturally derived opioids. I have no idea how many in use today are naturally derived; maybe "synthetic" was always a scare term on that context?

philipkglass 5y ago
The only two opioids naturally found in the poppy that are also used in medicine are codeine and morphine. All others are semi-synthetic (chemical modifications of poppy alkaloids) or fully synthetic. Even most codeine is made by methylating morphine, since the poppy under-produces it relative to medical demand. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid#Semisynthetic_and_synthetic_opioids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opioid#Semisynthetic_and_synth...
worik 5y ago
"Synthetic opioid" is used to describe an opioid not derived from the morphine in the opium poppy (or the codeine in the dried poppy) I am not a doctor: Of the very powerful "powder" drugs heroin is the safest as it has very little effect on the involuntary respiratory system which is the route that opiates take to kill. "Nodding off" on synthetic opiates leads commonly to death (which is why you always prod a sleeping junky - wake up!!) but not so much on heroin. But it is much safer to smoke opium, if you wish to have such a habit. Much less chance of death and disease. So, you cruel, nay, sadistic lawmakers: Legalise opium! But people popping pills are nearly invisible and die quietly - people smoking opium fill up establishments, make funny smells and do not conveniently die off in the corner.....
mlyle 5y ago
Note that semi-synthetic is a category too that "synthetic opioid" generally excludes. Natural opioids: codeine, morphine. Semi-synthetic opioids: heroin, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc. Synthetic opioids: methadone (though this is usually excluded from the reporting of "synthetic opioid overdose deaths" for various reasons), demerol, fentanyl, lots of -fentanyl analogs, etc.

viktorcode 5y ago

In general, "synthetic" drugs are more of a menace due to the ease of transportation and production. They don't have to be produced in specific geographic regions and can be very powerful, which adds up to dangerous combination.

mlyle 5y ago

Here it's reasonable to differentiate between natural opioids, semi-synthetic opioids, and fully synthetic opioids. It's not a perfect measure, but the degree of potency tends to vary with the category and the fully synthetic opioids do not rely upon poppies for precursors.