What is Heroin?
Heroin belongs to a group of drugs known as opiates. Other opiates include morphine and methadone. It is obtained from the dried milk of the poppy and is highly addictive. The drug is a ‘downer’ that affects the brain’s pleasure system and interferes with its ability to perceive pain.
What Does it Look Like?
Heroin is a white or dark brown powder or tar like substance. When pure, the drug is a white powder, but it usually contains other substances such as talcum powder or brick dust. When the drug is impure, it comes as a brown powder and usually contains caffeine. Heroin is normally wrapped in small packets of paper.
How is it Used?
Heroin can be used in a variety of ways depending on the user’s preference and purity of the drug. The most common methods include injecting (‘mainlining’) and smoking (‘chasing the dragon’). 
What are the Immediate Effects?
The effects of heroin use appear soon after a single ‘hit’ and disappear within a few hours. In small doses, the user often reports a feeling of euphoria (a ‘rush’) accompanied by a warm tingling of the skin and heavy extremities; this is usually achieved very quickly by smoking the drug. In larger doses, the user will usually feel relaxed, and even drowsy; these effects can last for several hours.
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What are the Long-term Effects?
Heroin is a highly addictive drug, and regular use will inevitably result in a tolerance, requiring the addict to use more of the drug in order to achieve the same intensity. Long-term users, particularly if injecting are likely to develop collapsed veins, be at a greater risk of contracting HIV or Hepatitis B and C, develop pulmonary complications and a general decline in their health. Using excessive amounts of the drug also puts the addict at a much greater risk of overdose which could lead to either coma or death due to respiratory failure. |
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Common Street Names
Heroin is also commonly known as H, Smack, Skag, Gear, Horse, Junk, Mud and Brown) |
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For further information regarding heroin addiction, please feel free to contact one of our First4Rehab advisors, either by phone or email. Or if you prefer, drop us a text on the mobile number listed below.
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