Opioid abuse and addiction are severe issues in the United States. About 10% of people in the United States report abusing an opiate drug during their lifetime. Opioid abuse can damage a person’s immediate and long-term health and safety.
Morphine is a potent opiate drug. It can relieve pain, cause sedation, and may cause feelings of euphoria. Morphine has a high risk of abuse and addiction. Recognizing morphine abuse and seeking treatment is essential to avoiding life-threatening consequences.
This article will explore how long morphine stays in your system. You will learn:
- What morphine is
- How morphine addiction occurs
- How long morphine remains in your body
- What happens during morphine withdrawal
- Where to find comprehensive detox and treatment services
If you or someone you love struggles with opioid abuse or addiction, you are not alone. Contact the Archstone Behavioral Health specialists to explore our effective treatment and support programs.
What is Morphine?
Morphine is a powerful and addictive opiate drug. It is a derivative of opium poppy seeds. Heroin and other opioids are also derived from this poppy plant.[1]
Doctors may prescribe morphine to help patients manage pain after surgery or during treatment for other conditions. People may receive morphine injections or take it orally.[2]
Some people abuse morphine by misusing their prescription or taking it recreationally (without a prescription). People may smoke, inject, or swallow morphine in the form of tablets or syrup. Street names for morphine include:
- M
- Monkey
- Miss Emma
- White stuff
- Roxanol
Morphine gets its name from Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams. People who use morphine may experience pain relief, sedation, and euphoria while taking this drug. People who misuse morphine may become addicted to it.
Understanding Morphine Addiction
Morphine and other opioids are highly addictive. Drug manufacturers and doctors take steps to reduce the risk of addiction. Doctors may prescribe morphine and other opioids for short periods to limit the risk of physical dependence. Drug manufacturers produce tablets with a coating that prevents people from crushing and snorting or injecting them.
However, people still develop morphine addiction. People who use morphine–even those using it under medical guidance–are at risk of developing addiction and dependence. How does this happen?
People may experience pleasurable side effects when taking morphine. They may feel drowsy, calm, or euphoric.[1] These desirable effects can make people want to use more of the drug than prescribed or take it recreationally.
People who misuse morphine may develop tolerance. Tolerance occurs when the body has adjusted to a dose of a drug. When people develop tolerance to morphine, they may require higher doses to get the desired effects.
Morphine abuse can change how the brain and body work. These changes can lead to physical dependence, which means people need to take a drug to avoid withdrawal.
Morphine addiction can be life-threatening. It is common for people with morphine addiction to use heroin or other potent opioids when they can no longer obtain morphine. People with morphine addiction require comprehensive detox, treatment, and support programs to help them safely stop using it and prevent relapse.
How Long Does Morphine Stay in Your System?
There are several ways to determine how long morphine remains in your body. First, there are the effects of morphine. Morphine’s central nervous system (CNS) calming effects typically last between 4 and 6 hours.
However, morphine remains in the body for much longer. Morphine’s half-life (the amount of time it takes for the body to metabolize half of the drug) is around 2-3 hours.[3] This short half-life means that the body can clear the drug relatively quickly.
Drug tests may detect the presence of morphine long after the side effects have worn off. Here is an overview of how long morphine can be detected by different drug tests.
Urine tests
These standard drug tests may detect morphine in urine for 12 hours up to 36 hours after your last dose.[4,5]
Blood tests
Blood testing may detect morphine for 1.5-4.5 hours after the last dose.
Hair
Hair tests are uncommon but have the longest detection window of any drug screening. Hair tests may be able to detect morphine for up to 90 days after your last dose.
Drug tests are very sensitive. In some cases, eating a large amount of poppy seeds before a drug test may result in a false positive for morphine or codeine.
If you are concerned about passing a drug test, it may be a sign that you need treatment for substance abuse. Seek comprehensive treatment, beginning with a detox program.
Factors that Affect How Long Morphine Stays in The Body
Several factors can affect how long the effects of morphine last and how long it stays in the system. These include:
- Duration of morphine use
- Frequently of opioid use
- Dosage
- Age, weight, and body fat content
- Co-occurring medical conditions
- Metabolism
- Liver and kidney function
- Other medications or drug/alcohol use
Typically, individuals who use morphine more frequently, over extended durations, and in higher quantities, accumulate more of the substance in their system, resulting in a longer detection period for positive test results.
Opium Withdrawal and Treatment
If you become dependent on morphine or other opioids, you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them. Withdrawal symptoms include:[6]
- Chills
- Sweating
- Elevated blood pressure
- Nausea and vomiting
- Runny nose
- Anxiety
- Cravings
- Insomnia
- Dilated pupils
- Yawning
- Diarrhea
- Body aches
- Muscle and joint pain
Opioid withdrawal can be very challenging. Symptoms may peak around the third day of detox but may last for weeks or months. It is crucial to complete an opioid detox and treatment program to ensure you have the support and care you need at every stage of recovery.
If you or someone you love abuse morphine or other addictive substances, you are not alone. Contact the Archstone Behavioral Health specialists to explore our holistic treatment and support programs.
References:
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): Morphine
- National Institute of Health (NIH): Morphine
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Kadian (Morphine)
- Science Direct: On-site quantitation of morphine in urine by fast derivatization and miniature mass spectrometry analysis
- BMJ Journals: Positive percentages of urine morphine tests among methadone maintenance treatment clients with HIV/AIDS: a 12-month follow-up study in Guangdong Province, China
- Wiley Online Library: Opioid withdrawal symptoms, a consequence of chronic opioid use and opioid use disorder: Current understanding and approaches to management
