National Drugs Helpline 0800 77 66 00
Heroin
(Antifreeze, Aries, Aunt Hazel, Ballot, Bart Simpson, Big Bag, Big H, Big Harry, Black Pearl, Black Stuff, Black Tar, Blanco, Blows, Blue Hero, Bombs Away, Bonita, Boy, Bozo, Brain Damage, Brick Gum, Brown, Brown Crystal, Brown Rhine, Brown Sugar, Bundle, Butu, Caballo, Caca, Capital H, Carga, Carne, Charley, Chicle, Chieva, China Cat, China White, Chinese Red, Chip, Cotics, Crap, Crown Crap, Cura, Dead on Arrial, Diesel, Dirt, Dog Food, Dogie, Dragon, Gear, H, Horse, Junk, Skag, Smack)
Heroin is a Class A drug made from morphine which is obtained from the opium poppy.
What does it look like?
Heroin is a powder which comes in different colours from white, if it is pure, to dark brown if it has been mixed with other substances.
How is it taken?
Heroin can be smoked, sniffed or made into a solution for injection.
What effects does it have?
When taken:
Heroin takes effect quickly and can last several hours, depending on how much is taken and whether it is smoked, sniffed or injected. It produces a feeling of warmth, relaxation and detachment with a lessening of anxiety. It can cause nausea and vomiting but these effects stop with regular use. An overdose can produce stupor and coma and even death from respiratory failure.
Afterwards:
The effect gradually wears off with no particular after-effects.
Long term:
People who use heroin regularly need more of it to get the same
effect. Heroin is highly addictive and one of the most
difficult drugs to
give up. Giving
up heroin after regular use causes aches, tremor, sweating
and chills and muscular
spasms. Physical long term effects include chronic constipation,
irregular periods for women and possibly pneumonia and
decreased resistance to
infection, damaged
veins and heart and lung disorders. These problems may
be made worse by self-neglect - heroin addicts tend to focus on their
next 'fix'
and are
unable to hold
down a job, become homeless and turn to crime to get money
for drugs. Using heroin
during pregnancy can result in smaller babies who may suffer
withdrawal symptoms after birth.