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Heroin is a highly addictive drug derived form morphine, a naturally occuring substance extracted from the poppy seed plant. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder, but it can also be sold as a black sticky substance called "Black Tar Heroin". Heroin is "cut" with many different cutting agents. These agents include, but are not limited to: sugar, starch, powdered milk, quinine, etc. This drug today is about 40% to 70% pure on the streets. Compared to 19 years ago, when the drug was only about 4% pure, now it is considered to be leathal!
Heroin can be used in many different ways. It may be injected into a vein ("mainlining"), injected into a muscle, smoked in a water pipe or standard pipe, mixed in a marijuana joint or regular cigarette, inhaled as smoke through a straw ("chasing the dragon"), or inhaled as a powder via the nose.
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Heroin has many psychological and physical effects. This drug affects the brain�s ability to perceive pain and activates the brain�s pleasure system. After use of the drug it reacts quickly. Intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and most rapid onset of euphoria (7 to 8 seconds). Intramuscular injection produces a relatively slow onset of euphoria (5 to 8 min.). When heroin is sniffed or smoked the effects are felt within (10 to 15 min.) of usage. After the �rush�, heroin users experience a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities which are accompanied by many different side effects. Once a person starts to use heroin they quickly develop a tolerance for the drug and become addicted. Many side effects occur with heroin use. Some of these side effects are: slow and slurred speech, slow gait, constricted pupils, droopy eyelids, impaired night vision, vomiting and nausea, decrease in sexual pleasure, respiratory depression, reduced appetite, slow, irregular heart rate, irregular blood pressure, nodding off, constipation, spontaneous abortion, clouded mental functioning, etc...
Heroin addiction has many consequences that accompany long-term use of this drug. These consequences include; disease, infections, and even death. The addiction to heroin is a disease that invokes compulsive drug seeking and use from changes that occur in the brain of the addict. When this addiction occurs it produces tolerance and physical dependence for the drug. Physical dependence allows the body to adapt to the presence of the drug in the system. If a reduction in use occurs withdrawal symptoms begin to occur. Withdrawal symptoms may occur within a few hours after the drug is taken. These symptoms include: restlessness, cramping, severe shaking, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, etc. Many health problems come along with the continued use of heroin. Heroin that is contaminated, because of cutting agents, causes bacterial and viral infections. These infections can impinge on heart valves or anywhere in the body. Combining heroin with other drugs such as cocaine or alcohol can cause serious health problems such as: serum hepatitis, skin abscesses (due to dirt and scratching), inflammation of the veins, or cardiac disease. Other health problems common among addict are pneumonia, tuberculosis, hepatitis B and C, blood borne viruses, HIV and malaria. Needle sharing among addicts is one of the leading causes of all new AIDS cases. Female addicts are prime candidates for venereal diseases and physical trauma. The use of heroin during pregnancy is associated with the following: low-birth weight, still births, placental abruptions, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It takes months or even years to recover from the physical addiction, and fighting the psychological addiction is a lifelong battle.
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