Inhaling the vapour produced by heating opiates is referred to as chasing the dragon in Hong Kong slang, and the expression comes from that region. As a result of the production of an inhalable vapour when heroin is heated, this behaviour is frequently connected with the use of heroin.It is generally agreed that the expression chasing the dragon dates back to the early 1900s, when Chinese immigrants in Hong Kong began smoking opium for the very first time.
Opium was not only legal at the time but also easily accessible, and as a result, many people took it for recreational purposes. It was believed that getting high through inhaling the vapour produced by heated opium was a more effective method; hence, chasing the dragon became a common technique for people to utilise the drug.In today's day and age, the practise of breathing the vapour produced by heating opiates is still referred to as chasing the dragon.
On the other hand, the phrase is increasingly also used to refer to the behaviour of seeking a high, independent of the substance that is being taken.In the episode Heroin Hero from South Park, the character Cartman is hooked to inhaling the vapour that is produced when heroin is cooked, which is a satirical take on the practise known as chasing the dragon. This episode brings to light the risks associated with drug addiction and serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of seeking out highs.