Facts:

Ø     Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug.  It is both the most abused and the most rapidly acting of the opiates.  It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin.”

Ø     Although purer heroin is becoming more common, most street heroin is “cut’ with other drugs and with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk or quinine.  Street heroin can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons.  Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death.  Heroin also poses special problems because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles or other injection equipment.

Ø     Heroin is usually injected, sniffed/snorted or smoked.  Typically, a heroin abuser may inject up to four times a day, intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and rapid onset of euphoria (7 to 8 minutes).  When heron is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are usually left within 15 minutes.  Although smoking and sniffing heroin does not produce a “rush” as quickly or as intensely as intravenous injection, the National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) researcher have confirmed that all three forms of heroin administration are addictive.

Ø     Injection continues to be the predominant method of heroin use among addicted users seeking treatment.   However there has been a shift in heroin use patterns from injection to sniffing and smoking.  With the shift in heroin abuse patterns comes an even more diverse group of users.  Older users (over 30) continue to be one of the largest user groups in most national data.  However, several sources indicate an increase in new, young users across the county who are being lured by inexpensive, high-purity heroin that can be sniffed or smoked instead of injected.  Heroin has always been appearing in more affluent communities.

 Short term effects:

 Ø      “Rush”

Ø      Depressed respirations

Ø      Clouded mental functioning

Ø      Nausea and vomiting

Ø      Suppression of pain

Ø      Spontaneous abortion

Long-term effects:

 Ø      Addiction

Ø      Infections diseases, example HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C

Ø      Abscesses

Ø      Infection of heart lining and valves