Heroin

Page contents

• Other Names
• How's it taken?
• Effects
• Legal Status

Related links

• Government drugs website

Summary

• Heroin is a painkilling drug made from opium, which is derived from the opium poppy
• Pure heroin comes as a white powder, but street heroin is commonly a brownish-white colour

Other names include

• Smack, brown, horse, H, gear, junk, skag, jack

How is it taken?

• Sometimes snorted
• Dissolved and then injected (known as 'shooting-up')
• Can also be smoked (known as 'chasing the dragon')

Effects

• Small amounts can give the user a sense of warmth and well-being, whilst lager amounts can leave a person feeling drowsy and relaxed
• First time use often leads to side-effects like dizziness, vomiting and can cause fatal overdose
• Tolerance to the drug can develop, which means a person needs more of it to get the same effects
• Returning to use after a few days or more of abstinence can cause overdose or death
• Mixing with other drugs, especially alcohol or benzodiazapines (valium, 'pills') greatly increases risk of overdose
• Any amount to which a person is not tolerant can lead to overdose, coma and in some cases, death.
• Heroin can lead to dependency, even when smoked
• Injecting heroin can damage the veins
• Sharing injecting equipment puts the user at risk from blood borne infections such as hepatitis B, C or HIV

Legal status

• Heroin is a class A drug
• Possession - 7 years prison and/or a fine
• Possession with intent to supply, or supply - life imprisonment and/or a fine