Heroin

What It Does
Heroin, also called "smack", "H", "skag", and "junk", is processed from morphine, found in the seed pod of the poppy plant. Heroin is highly addictive and may be injected, inhaled (snorted), or smoked. After injecting heroin, the user feels a euphoric rush that is usually combined with a flushing of the skin, a dry mouth and heavy extremities. After the euphoria, the user goes into a state which alternates between wakefulness and drowsiness. Mental functioning is clouded.

Heroin affects the long term health of the individual user. They may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Other complications due to the additives in heroin may result in clogging blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain which may cause infection or destroy cells on the vital organs.

As with most drugs, a tolerance develops so higher doses are used over time to achieve the same euphoria. The body becomes physically dependent on the drug and the user will go through withdrawl when the drug is not used .

Infofax - Heroin

Straight talk about heroin
"Have you seen the commercial with the girl who sets the egg on the kitchen counter and says 'this is your brain' then proceeds to smash it with a cast iron frying pan saying 'this is your brain on heroin'?

Well, that commercial is NO JOKE. That is exactly what heroin has done to my family. I will probably always be a burnout, but I can't quit getting high. So I leave you with this piece of advice... If you can quit then you need to because you don't need to live your life HIGH!"

Heroin Terminology/Definitions
Treatment Definitions

Other Web Resources

• SIPE - Web Resources
• National Institute on Drug Abuse and Addiction
• PBS Story on Heroin