HEROIN: THE DRUG

By Adam, Vir, Park and ANGAD.

 WHAT IS HEROIN?
Heroin is a synthetic opiate drug that is
highly addictive. Heroin is processed
from morphine, a naturally occurring
substance extracted from the seed pod
of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is
an illegal drug.
HEROIN’S
DIFFERENT FORMS:
Heroin comes in various forms, but pure
heroin is a white powder with a bitter
taste. Most illicit heroin comes in powder
form in colours, ranging from white to
dark brown. The colours are due to the
impurities left from the manufacturing
process or the presence of additives.
“Black tar” is another form of heroin that
resembles roofing tar or is hard like coal.
Colour varies from dark brown to black.
EFFECTS OF HEROIN

• Heroin is a depressant, a downer. It slows down the central nervous

system activity.  This includes physical, mental and emotional
responses and slows down things such as breathing and heart rate.
• Often commonly referred to as the hardest drug, although all drugs
are dangerous and have risks attached to using them. Heroin is the
drug most often associated with the overdoses and it is often associated
with needles, as injecting is the most common method of use.
• Heroin works by copying the body's own natural chemicals in the
brain and the body which are produced in response to pain and this in
turn affects the body's pleasure producing neurotransmitters called
endorphins. Therefore when heroin hits the bloodstream it releases
these endorphins which results in initial rush of euphoria followed by
warm and relaxing feeling and any worries you have disappear.
HISTORY

Heroin is an opiate and was first manufactured back in 1874. Opiates

are drugs manufactured from the opium poppy plant and others in
this family include:
• Morphine
• Codeine
• Opium

Heroin is a strong pain killer and like other opiate drugs - it suppresses
the volume and rate of breathing. Hence how overdoses can occur -
breathing becomes very suppressed and slow and it can even stop.
 HEROIN’S STREET NAMES
Heroin has many street names including big
H, blacktar, brown sugar, dope, horse, junk,
mud, skag. The most common name for heroin
is smack. After September 11th, heroin was
even called Bin Laden, twin towers and WTC.
Some other interesting street names are Bart
Simpson, Aunt Hazel, birdie powder, Dr.
Feelgood, dog food, Hong-yen, lemonade,
Mexican mud, old Steve, Pangonadalot and
witch hazel..
HEROIN: WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

The immediate effects of heroin may last 3 to 5 hours. They are:

• Intense pleasure and a strong feeling of well-being.

• Confusion.
• Pain relief.
• Slowed breathing.
• Decreased blood pressure and heart rate.
• Constricted pupils.
• Dry mouth.
• Suppressed cough reflex.
• Reduced sexual urges.
• Drowsiness.
• Slurred and slow speech.
• Reduced co-ordination.
• Nausea and vomiting.
HEROIN IN GREATER QUANTITIES
• The immediate effects intensify and last longer with higher
quantities of heroin. The following effects are also likely to occur.
• The ability to concentrate is impaired.
• The user is likely to fall asleep (‘on the nod’).
• Breathing becomes shallower and slower.
• Nausea and vomiting are more likely to occur.
• Sweating, itching and increased urinary output are also likely.

Short-term effects
Apart from overdosing, the major problem of short-term use of any
opiate is the way it is used. For example, injecting heroin can result
in skin, heart and lung infections, and diseases such as hepatitis and
HIV.
LONG TERM EFFECTS
In its pure form, heroin is relatively non-
toxic to the body, causing little damage to
body tissue and other organs. However,
there are some long-term effects,
including dependence, constipation,
menstrual irregularity and infertility in
women, loss of sex drive in men, intense
sadness and cognitive impairment.
Many of the other long-term problems
may be the result of other factors, such as
the person's poor general self-care, drug
impurities and contaminants, and blood-
borne viruses.
Heroin is usually a mixture of pure heroin
and other substances, such as caffeine and
sugar. Additives can be highly poisonous.
They can cause collapsed veins, tetanus,
abscesses and damage to the heart, lungs,
liver and brain.
OVERDOSE ON HEROIN
• Using a large quantity of heroin can cause death. Breathing becomes very
slow, body temperature drops, and the heartbeat becomes irregular.
• Overdose may occur if:
• too much heroin is injected;
• the strength of purity is high; or
• heroin is used with alcohol or sedatives (benzodiazepines).
• To reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, the attending ambulance
officer will inject the drug naloxone to restart breathing. The naloxone
may not last as long as the heroin, so the person will feel ‘stoned’ again
and may even become unconscious again. It is important that another
quantity of heroin is not taken again on that day, as it may combine with
the original quantity of heroin taken and could cause an overdose.
• After an overdose, it is strongly advisable to seek assessment at a hospital.
 MOST COMMON METHOD OF USE
Injecting, followed by a range of other methods such as
smoking or inhaling the fumes (known as chasing), swallowing
or snorting. The smoking of heroin has become more common.
There is no safe way to use heroin. Research also shows that
most people who start smoking heroin end up injecting it if they
continue to use. This has increased risk factors due to issues
associated with needles, vein injuries and blood borne viruses.
The main reason people use heroin is for its euphoric effect -
however people very quickly become dependent on it and
getting off heroin is exceptionally difficult.
WIDER COMMUNITY

• Heroin affects the community in both positive and negative ways.

The positive effects include pain relief for people in great pain or on
their deathbed so that they may die peacefully.
• Negative effects affect not only the person and their families but
also the ‘wider community’ in terms of the amount of influence that
these drugs have. One death (due to drugs) in the community can
inspire a person as well as break them down. People who use heroin
might encourage others to use it as well. Since heroin in extremely
harmful in nature, the whole world is now finally joining hands and
creating awareness of how it can destroy.