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HEROINFacts
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- Or as a resinous or black sticky liquid (known as “black tar heroin”)
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How Heroin is Used/Abused
Heroin can be injected directly into a vein using a needle, snorted/sniffed through the nose, or smoked directly into the lungs. These routes of administration will rapidly deliver the drug to the brain.
The Effects of Heroin
Heroin enters the brain quickly and attaches to opioid receptors. These receptors are located in many areas of the brain, including the brain stem, and are responsible for reward, perception of pain, and critical processes such as breathing, blood pressure, and arousal. The drug slows down these areas of the brain (which is why heroin overdoses frequently involve a suppression of respiration. It slows down the way you think, slows down reaction time, and slows down memory.
Heroin poses special problems for those who inject it because of the risks of HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles. These health problems can be passed on to sexual partners and newborns.
Heroin poses special problems for those who inject it because of the risks of HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles. These health problems can be passed on to sexual partners and newborns.
Health Consequences
Heroin abuse comes with serious health conditions, including
- collapsed or scarred veins
- bacterial infection of the heart lining & valves
- abscesses & other soft-tissue infections
- liver & kidney disease
- pulmonary complications (including various types of pneumonia & tuberculosis)
- arthritis or other rheumatological problems
- spontaneous abortion
- HIV/AIDS and hepatitis
- fatal overdose
Street heroin often contains toxic contaminants or additives that can clog the blood vessels leading to the lungs, liver, kidneys and brain, causing permanent damage to vital organs.
Addictive Potential
Heroin is a synthetic opiate drug that is highly addictive. With regular Heroin use, tolerance develops, in which the user’s physiological (and psychological) response to the drug decreases, and more heroin is needed to achieve the same intensity of effect. Heroin users are at high risk for addiction. It is estimated that 23% of individuals who use heroin become dependent on it very quickly.
“My experience in dealing with heroin users demonstrates how addictive the substance actually is… good people, who would never have considered chronic drug use (or crime) while in their right mind, find themselves out-of-control, committing crime and hurting loved ones to try and gain access to the drug. It’s an all-too common story here in Southern Utah, and one that I witness on a regular basis,” (Detective Curtis Spragg, Washington County Drug Task Force).
Signs & Symptoms of Use
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Common Slang Terms
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Paraphernalia
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Heroin is typically packaged in plastic baggies, then wrapped in tin foil, then tied into balloons. Small pieces of balloon and tin foil are a sure sign of heroin use.
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Needles and spoons are other obvious signs of heroin use. Spoons are used to melt down the drug, and are typically held over a candle or lighter, and often bent to allow for easier holding.
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Tin foil is used to burn heroin and then suck the smoke through a straw or pen.
