Only a fragment of the morphine used in the U.S. that is derived from opium is used as morphine, while the remaining amount is converted to codeine and other morphine derivatives.
There were over 1.6 million hospitalizations and more than 4 million emergency room visits for alcohol-related conditions during 2005.
The morning after an alcohol binge, the body's organs try to make up for their own water loss by taking it from the brain causing the brain to decrease in size and pull on the membranes that connect the brain to the skull, resulting in pain.
When taking into account the negative health consequences and trafficking related violence as measuring tools, cocaine is just behind heroin as the second most problematic drug in the world.