Last updated : November 11, 2024
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine, morphine diacetate or diamorphine is an illegal, highly addictive drug that is produced from a substance found inside the opium poppy plant.
Heroin is typically a white, odorless, bitter-tasting powder, but crudely processed forms may be brown or tar-like in consistency.
Street names for heroin include horse, brown sugar, Mexican mud, China white, skag, black tar, dope and smack. Most heroin found in North America comes from South America or Southeast Asia.
Heroin Use: How and Why
Common black market heroin is usually injected into veins or muscles, but the drug can also be smoked or snorted in its purest forms; the latter methods allow users to avoid the visible marks caused by injection.
After administering heroin, users feel a rush of euphoria or well-being accompanied by flushing, warmth, dry mouth and heavy limbs. Following the initial rush, they go into a state of alternating sleepiness and alertness.
Short-term physical effects of heroin include decreased respiration, heart rate and neurological function. Itching, constipation and vomiting are also common side effects. Like other forms of morphine, heroin reduces or blocks pain signals sent to the brain by the nervous system, so users feel little or no physical pain.
Prescription Pain Relievers and Heroin
Abuse of prescription opioid pain medications such as Vicodin and Oxycontin often serve as a gateway to heroin use. After they can no longer get a valid prescription for opioid drugs, users find that heroin is much cheaper and easier to obtain on the street. A crackdown on prescription painkillers is believed to be partly responsible for increased heroin use in America.
America’s Heroin Problem
Since 2007, heroin use in America has been steadily rising and has become one of the most concerning drug abuse issues in the nation. Young abusers between the ages of 18 and 25 represent a significant portion of the increase; heroin treatment admissions more than doubled from 2008 to 2012 in this age group. Conversely, heroin use in teens has declined. Once considered primarily an urban problem, heroin is now gaining popularity in suburban and rural areas. Officials in cities like Chicago and St. Louis report growing numbers of heroin overdoses and drug seizures.
Long-Term Health Effects of Heroin Use
Over time, heroin alters the brain of the abuser and produces increasing tolerance and physical dependence. If the drug is stopped suddenly, severe withdrawal symptoms can occur. Long-term heroin use may cause lung disease, kidney and liver damage, heart valve damage, blood infections, boils, sexual dysfunction, menstrual irregularities, depression, mental disorders and general poor health. Injecting heroin also dramatically increases a person’s risk of contracting HIV and hepatitis. If heroin is used during pregnancy, the baby may suffer severe breathing problems or be born addicted to the drug.
Managing Heroin Overdose
Heroin overdose is common, especially among inexperienced users. Symptoms of overdose include slow or shallow breathing, low blood pressure, slow or weak pulse, pinpoint pupils, delirium, disorientation, stomach spasms, muscle spasticity and coma. If medical attention is not received, the condition may be fatal. Treatment of heroin overdose involves supportive medical care and administration of an opioid receptor antagonist such as Nalaxone to reverse the drug’s effects.
Rehabilitation and Treatment for Heroin Addiction
Methods of treating heroin addiction include both pharmacological agents and cognitive-behavioral therapies; the most effective treatment plans involve both elements. Because withdrawal symptoms such as pain, nausea and vomiting can be severe during the detoxification stage, relapse rates are high. Medications can help to ease symptoms. Treating the addiction itself is often accomplished through the use of drugs called opioid agonists. These include Methadone, Subutex and long-acting Vivitrol. Behavioral therapies can be administered in outpatient or residential settings and may include stress reduction techniques and intensive psychotherapy.
