Street Names
Smack, dope, H, gear, junk, Harry, China white and scag.
Dangers
Using a large quantity of heroin can cause death. Breathing becomes very slow, the body temperature drops and the heartbeat becomes irregular.
Overdose may occur if:
- too much heroin is injected
- the strength or purity is high
- heroin is used with alcohol or sedatives
Heroin is a potent opioid. Opioid drugs mainly act on the opioid receptor system to produce a range of effects. Other opioids include: opium, morphine, codeine, pethidine, oxycodone, buprenorphine and methadone. Heroin and other opidoids are classed as depressant drugs..
Heroin can range from a fine white powder to off-white granules or pieces of brown ‘rock’.
Heroin and other opidoids are classed as depressant drugs.
Most heroin
originates from opium poppy farms in South-East Asia -primarily in Myanmar,
South-West Asia - primarily Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Latin American
- primarily Colombia. The opium gum is converted to morphine in labs near
the fields and then to heroin in labs within or near the producing country.
In the illicit drug market heroin is sold diluted (‘cut’) with
any powder of similar appearance. Substances that have been found with
street heroin include baking powder, flour, soap powder, talc, bleach,
glucose, sucrose, abrasives, epherdrine, plaster and cement. The concentration
of heroin in the final mixture can vary unpredictably.
Heroin is most commonly injected into
a vein. It is also smoked (‘chasing
the dragon’), added to marijuana or tobacco cigarettes, or snorted.
The effects of heroin may last 3 to 5 hours.
The immediate effects of heroin include:
The immediate effects intensify and last longer with higher quantities
of heroin.
The following effects are also likely to occur:
