Hydromorphone

Hydromorphone

Drug Information About Hydromorphone

Street names:  Dillies, Hydro, M2s, Hospital Heroin.

Drug classification: All products containing Hydromorphone are a Schedule II drug in the United States under the Controlled Substances Act..  It is illegal to posses without a valid license or prescription.

General Information

Hydromorphone (Dilaudid®) is marketed in tablets (2, 4, and 8 mg), rectal Suppositories, oral solutions, and injectable formulations. All products are in Schedule II of the CSA.

Its analgesic potency is from two to eight times that of morphine, but it is shorter acting and produces more sedation than morphine. Much sought after by narcotic addicts, hydromorphone is usually obtained by the abuser through fraudulent prescriptions or theft. The tablets are often dissolved and injected as a substitute for heroin.  Opioids may result in psychotic symptoms in some patients.

Side Effects

Nervous system side effects have included mental depression, respiratory depression (which is sometimes fatal), stupor, delirium, somnolence, agitation, increased intracranial pressure, and dysphoria. Myoclonus has also been reported.

Other side effects have included withdrawal symptoms which have occurred following either abrupt cessation or fast tapering of narcotic analgesics and have included agitation, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, tremor, abdominal cramps, blurred vision, vomiting, and sweating.  Cardiovascular side effects have occurred rarely and have included hypotension, shock, and arrhythmias.

Abuse And Addition

When a person is abusing opiates like hydromorphone, the signs of this abuse will include dilated pupils, sleepiness and dopiness. It is a common symptom of abuse for a person to nod off shortly after they take the drug.

Opiates are hard on the digestive system. A person may be nauseated, may vomit and is very likely to be constipated. There may be abdominal pain.

Difficulty sleeping is a very common symptom of opiate abuse. When person tries to get clean, the erratic sleep schedule may take time to straighten out.

New Jersey Drug Possession Laws Are Complicated – You Need an Experienced Attorney to Defend You

Drug possession laws in New Jersey are complicated by well-meaning statutes that increase the penalties depending on where you’re apprehended. For example, if you are  caught holding drugs within 1,000 feet of a school or school bus, or within 500 feet of a housing project or public park, instead of being charged with “simple” drug possession you may be charged with a more serious crime or stiffer penalties.  The more serious offense you are charged with, the less odds you have of getting the charges dismissed pending completion of a period of drug counseling and probation.

There are no “hard-and-fast” rules whereby authorities distinguish between drug possession, drug possession with the intent to distribute, and drug distribution. Much of how you are charged may have to do with what the arresting officer says about you and what crimes the prosecutor thinks you may be guilty of.

If you’re caught holding more drugs than can reasonably be consumed by one person, you may find yourself charged with intent to distribute, which carries more severe penalties (especially, as noted above, if you’re arrested within sight of a school, park or housing project) than drug possession.  If you involved a minor in a drug crime, again, you may also be charged with additional, or more serious crimes.

Free Consultation With A Freehold Drug Possession Defense Attorneys

Former prosecutors, and an assistant district attorney, the legal team at The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have been on the other “side.”  We know how prosecutors think and how to negotiate with them.  Unlike other law firms, we exclusively practice criminal defense law — we are passionate about ensuring that the accused are fairly represented and will aggressively defend you against drug possession charges.

But the first step is one you need to take on your own — you need to talk to an experienced trial lawyer as soon as possible. Call our law office to arrange a free consultation, or to schedule a free consultation via Skype. If you are incarcerated, we will come to you to discuss your care.

We represent clients throughout New Jersey including the counties of Essex, Monmouth, Mercer, Union, Ocean, Middlesex, Atlantic, and Mercer County.

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