The Dangers of Heroine

Heroine is the most abused illegal and highly addictive drug. It is made from morphine. Morphine is a naturally produced substance that is taken from the seed pod of specific types of the poppy plant, more specifically, the opium poppy plant. Heroine is one of the fastest acting opiate drugs that there is. It is a depressant, or "downer". It affects the pleasure senses in the brain and interferes with the brain's ability to sense pain.

Heroine is normally sold as a white or brown-colored powder, or can be sold as a black sticky substance that is known on the streets as "black tat heroine". It is usually mixed or "cut" with other substances, such as sugar, starch, or other drugs, however; it has also been known to be mixed with poisons, such as strychnine. More pure heroine is becoming increasingly popular on the streets too. Due to the fact that the user never really knows what has been mixed with the drug, they are risking overdose and death each time they use.

Typically, heroine is injected into the user's body. They either inject it into a vein or muscle. Injecting heroine into a vein is called "mainlining". Heroine is also smoked, typically in a water pipe, regular pipe, mixed with marijuana in a joint, or smoked through a straw. It can also be snorted into the nose as a powder. The effects of the heroine are felt differently according to how the user uses it. If it is injected into a vein, it generally takes 7 to 8 seconds for the user to begin to feel euphoric. Injected into a muscle, it takes 5 to 8 minutes for the user to feel the euphoric effects. These two methods produce a "rush" for the user. Smoking or snorting heroine, the user will feel the euphoric effects within 10 to 15 minutes, but they do not get the "rush" that is brought with injecting the drug.

Once a person uses heroine, they feel the initial euphoria along with a warm sensation of the skin. Their mouth will feel dry, and their arms and legs will feel heavy. Next, they alternate between feeling awake and sleepy. Their mental functions slow because the central nervous system is depressed. Their speech becomes slurred, they walk with a slow gait, their pupils are constricted, their eyelids are droopy, they have trouble seeing at night, and they may vomit or be constipated. They may even say that their skin itches. Their breathing will slow drastically, and sometimes, this can cause death.

Long term, the users will become addicted to heroine. They will feel as if they just cannot live without using it. The addiction to heroine alone can cause many other problems for the user. Over time, it is not uncommon for these people to resort to stealing, dealing drugs, or even prostitution to pay for the heroine. Aside from the mental addiction, the user's body can become physically dependant on the drug. If a user stops using it abruptly, they will experience withdrawal symptoms. These include restlessness, muscle pain, bone pain, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, goose bumps on their flesh, and involuntary leg movements. These symptoms normally occur within a few hours of the heroine being out of a user's system. The withdrawal symptoms usually peak between 24 and 48 hours and continue for about a week. In some cases, the symptoms have been known to persist for many months. These withdrawal symptoms are one of the many reasons why heroine users continue to use. The use of heroine itself can be fatal, however; as uncomfortable as they may be, heroine withdrawal is normally not fatal. The only exceptions of this would be the death of a fetus in a pregnant heroine addict. In very rare cases, sudden withdrawal by a severe addict can result in death.

In addition to addiction, the heroine user has a chance of contracting an infectious disease such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV or AIDS. Often times, users share needles or use dirty needles when injecting the drug. The needles use may expose the user to the diseases. Once a heroine addict is infected with one of these blood borne infections, they can easily pass it on to their sexual partners and even their children. Collapsed veins are another problem that users may face. Over time, the continual injecting into veins can cause them to collapse, which inhibits blood flow through that vein. Bacterial infections can also be caused from heroine use, along with infections to the lining of the heart and the heart valves, and abscesses. Another long term effect can be arthritis or other joint problems. Liver and kidney disease, problems with the lungs, and immune system problems are also long term effects of heroine use. Heroine usage can cause overall problems with the vital organs of the body.

There are treatment plans in place to help those addicted to heroine recover from the addiction. Treatment is much more effective when the heroine use is recognized and treated early. Often times, a drug called methadone, which is a synthetic opiate that blocks the effects of heroine and helps to eliminate withdrawal symptoms, is used. This medication has had success in helping recovering addicts kick the habit. Other medications can and have also been used. Along with the use of medication, recovering addicts go through a detoxification period. This is when their body is eliminating the toxins from the heroine and any other drugs they may have used., This part of the treatment has the best results when it takes place in a therapeutic community residential setting. Meaning, the addict is in a recovery facility among others who are going through the same thing. In essence, it is a big support group. This helps give the recovering addict the knowledge that he or she is not anole in the battle. There are many others struggling right along with them. Treatment programs like these are successful, but it can take 3 to 6 months before the recovering addict is to the point where he or she can leave the facility with long lasting results, and remaining sober.