3. THE CAST
The Cast of the movie Trainspotting consisted of Five main characters and
their dealings with life as drug addicts and, occasionally, lunatics. The movie
takes place in a city named Edinburgh which is the capital of Scotland.
4. THE MAIN CHARACTER
RENTON
Renton is a heroin addict. He is one of a group of friends who live their lives
day to day and hit to hit. When he tries to kick the habit he manages it for a
while but eventually falls back into his old ways.
5. BEGBIE
Begbie is a cynical member of
Renton’s group of friends. It
is described in the film that
he does not use drugs, but
what he does use people!
6. SPUD
Spud is an immature and spastic character who remains loyal
to Renton throughout the course of the movie. His constant
loyalty eventually comes in handy at the end of the film.
7. SICK BOY
Sick Boy is a complacent individual who also uses heroin regularly. He
appeared to be a bit concerned over control; When Renton decided to quit
heroin, Sick Boy followed suit just to prove that he could do it, as Renton was
attempting.
8. TOMMY
Tommy abstains from drug use during the majority of the film. But, he finally
gives in eventually and Renton allows him to try Heroin. This decision
eventually leads to a tragic episode for Tommy.
9. HARSH REALITIES IN THE MOVIE
The movie Trainspotting at times started to seem like they were starting to
glamourize drug use, but they would always correct the tone of the movie by
putting in harsh realities of drug use like in the infamous seen where one of
the fellow female junkies finds that her baby has died and appears to have
been dead for a while without anyone noticing.
10. HEROIN
Heroin is a powerful, addictive painkilling drug. It is one of the most-used,
most-rapidly acting, and most addictive of the opiate family, which includes
opium, morphine, and codeine.
11. WAYS HEROIN IS USED AND THE
EFFECTS
Most regular users inject either intravenously (into a vein) or intramuscularly
(into a muscle, usually the shoulder) after heating heroin powder in a little
water. It is possible to smoke the drug, but the characters in Trainspotting
always used the drug intravenously.
Heroin creates a euphoric and, as described by the movie, a feeling that is
beyond orgasmic. But the tragic events that occurred deter viewers from using
it in a variety of ways. The movie illustrates the severe withdrawal symtoms,
the tragic events that can occur, and the drastic measures addicts use to get
their ‘fix’
15. NALOXONE
The drug Naloxone is an opoid antagonist drug developed in the 1960s. It is
used in hospital settings for an array of opiate related overdoses, and in
Renton’s case, heroin overdose. It is used specically to counteract the life-
threatening depression of the central nervous system as well as the respiratory
system.
In the movie, we see the immediate effect of
Naloxone. When Renton is brought into the clinic,
the nurses inject the drug intravenously. As soon as
it is injected, Renton immediately sits up and
appears sober as can be. Seeing this illusrates the
importance of this drug to avoid fatalities due to
opiate overdose
17. THE FINANCIAL AND CRIMINAL
COST OF THE DRUG
Customers can expect to pay more for a higher-quality product. Generally it's
between $59-$88 per gram, or around $22 for a third of a gram. In some
cases, a customer can buy a single dose of dope for as little as $10. A heroin
addict may spend upwards of $150 per day to support his or her habit.
That is roughly 50,400 dollars a year!
Heroin is a Schedule I substance in the US, and is a Class A illegal substance
in the UK. It has no medical purpose and anyone who is caught possessing,
distributing or manufacturing it is subject to a fine and/or imprisonment on
conviction. The level of punishment depends on the amount of the drug
involved.
