Heroin comes from the dried milk of the opium poppy, which is also used to create the class of painkillers called narcotics - medicines like codeine and morphine. Heroin can range from a white to dark brown powder to a sticky, tar-like substance.

Street Names:

horse, smack, Big H, junk

How It's Used:

Heroin is injected, smoked, or inhaled (if it is pure).

Effects & Dangers:

Heroin gives you a burst of euphoric (high) feelings, especially if it's injected. This high is often followed by drowsiness, nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting.

Users feel the need to take more heroin as soon as possible just to feel good again.

With long-term use, heroin ravages the body. It is associated with chronic constipation, dry skin, scarred veins, and breathing problems.

Users who inject heroin often have collapsed veins and put themselves at risk of getting deadly infections such as HIV, hepatitis B or C, and bacterial endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart) if they share needles with other users.

Addictiveness:

Heroin is extremely addictive and easy to overdose on (which can cause death). Withdrawal is intense and symptoms include insomnia, vomiting, and muscle pain.

Reviewed by: Wes Bowman, PhD
Date reviewed: June 2002
Originally reviewed by: Jonathan Schneider, DO