Heroin Dangers: What You Must Know to Protect Lives

Side Effects of Heroin

What does this drug do to your mind and body? It affects the brain by attaching to opioid receptors. These receptors control feelings of pain and pleasure. When this affects these receptors, it fills the brain with dopamine. This causes a strong feeling of happiness known as a “high.”

But this high comes with a lot of risk. Below are some potential side effects of this drug.

How can heroin affect your mental health? The drug alters your brain chemistry, causing imbalances in hormones and neurochemicals that aren’t easily reversed. This significantly increases the risk for depression, anxiety, mood swings, personality changes, difficulty concentrating, and other mental illnesses. Chronic heroin abuse can negatively affect your cognitive ability, behavior, and decision-making ability.  

The long-term effects of abuse extend beyond the individual. They affect families, friendships, and entire communities. But with comprehensive addiction treatment, it is possible to overcome its powerful grip, prevent irreversible damage, and save lives.

Learn More:

• Heroin Detox Timeline, Withdrawal Symptoms, Care & Treatment
• What Does Heroin Smell Like?
• How Long Does It Take To Withdraw From Heroin?
• Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, & Effective Detox
• How Long Does a Heroin High Last?
• Side Effects Of Heroin, Withdrawal Symptoms, & Treatment
• What Does a Heroin Addict Look Like?
• 6 Signs of a Functioning Heroin Addict
• Can You Snort Heroin? Snorting Heroin Side Effects, Dangers & What Happens If You Snort Heroin?
• The Signs & Risks Of Smoking Black Tar Heroin

Physical Signs

• Constricted pupils
• Slurred speech
• Drowsiness
• Sudden weight loss
• Constipation 
• Marks on the arms or legs from needles (trace marks)
• Constantly runny nose or coughing without illness

Behavioral Signs

• Isolation from friends and family
• Loss of interest in hobbies or social activities
• Neglecting responsibilities at work, home, or school
• Borrowing or stealing money to buy drugs
• Lying about their whereabouts
• Engaging in secretive behavior

Psychological Signs

• Mood swings, including irritability or depression
• Feeling anxious or restless
• Appearing disoriented
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Intense cravings

How Is Heroin Taken?

How to take this kind of drug? First, it’s essential to understand that all types of this pose serious health risks. These include addiction, overdose, and many physical and mental health problems.

How is this used? It can be taken through various routes of administration. The most common methods include:

• Heroin Injection: It is dissolved in water and injected directly into the veins using a syringe. Injecting heroin delivers the drug rapidly into the bloodstream, resulting in an immediate and intense high.
• Smoking: Can you smoke heroin? And how is heroin smoked? This can be heated on foil or a similar surface, and the vapors are inhaled through a tube or straw. This produces a quick onset of effects, but it is less potent than injecting.
• Snorting Heroin: This is ground into a powder and snorted through the nose. The drug is absorbed through the nasal mucosa and enters the bloodstream, but the effects may be less intense than injection or smoking.

The Link Between Prescription Opioids And Heroin Abuse

The rise in this kind of drug abuse is closely tied to the increased use of prescription opioids. Prescription opioids like oxycodone, oxycodone ER (OxyContin), hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin), oxycodone/acetaminophen (Percocet), and morphine are commonly used to treat pain from injuries, surgeries, cancer, and chronic conditions. It is used as prescribed and under medical supervision; these medications can effectively manage pain. However, they carry a high risk of misuse and addiction.   

Many people misuse prescription opioids to relieve pain, experience euphoria, or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Over time, they need larger doses to achieve the same effects due to tolerance. This cycle often leads to dependence and addiction. 

When some people can’t get prescription pills because of strict rules and high costs, they turn to heroin. This is cheaper and often easier to find. Both prescription opioids and heroin belong to the same class of drugs—opioids. They produce similar effects on the brain. According to the American Medical Association, about 45% of people who use this start by misusing prescription opioids. 

Many factors lead people to switch from prescription opioids to this kind of drug. These include lower cost, easier access, higher strength, and simpler use. But switching to this use after prescription opioid addiction is very risky. The strength of this drug is unpredictable, increasing the chances of overdosing. And if you overdose, it can slow breathing so much that it can lead to death. 

How do we address this issue? The very first step is to prevent the misuse of prescription opioids. Doctors and pharmacies are working to reduce access to these medications. They are using Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) to identify patients who are at risk of multiple opioid prescriptions. Healthcare providers screen patients for signs of addiction and offer early interventions. 
For those people already struggling with addiction, evidence-based treatments like methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone can be life-saving. These medications, when combined with therapy, can help people overcome addiction.

Heroin Drug Injection, HIV, And Hepatitis

Tackling the main causes of drug addiction is important. This includes providing complete treatment and support services. Doing so can help lower the risk of its use and related health problems.

What does this kind of drug do to the body? Here’s some information about the effect on the body and the connection between heroin injection and these viral infections:

• HIV transmission: HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) can be transmitted by sharing contaminated heroin needles and other drug paraphernalia. When people inject this kind of drug with needles that someone with HIV has used, they risk spreading the virus. Moreover, risky sexual behaviors in the context of drug use can also contribute to the spread of HIV.
• Hepatitis transmission: Hepatitis is the swelling of the liver. There are different types, like hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV). Like HIV, hepatitis viruses can be transmitted by sharing needles and drug paraphernalia. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted through sexual contact and other means of blood-to-blood contact.
• Injection-related risks: Heroin injection involves using needles, syringes, and other equipment that may not be adequately sterilized. Sharing needles and other injection equipment can lead to the transmission of bloodborne infections. Using unclean water or sharing drug preparation tools raises the risk of infection.
• Co-infection: People who inject this kind of drug can get infected with HIV, hepatitis B, or C. This is called co-infection. This means they have multiple viruses at the same time. Co-infection can cause serious health problems. It may speed up disease progression and raise the risk of complications.
• Harm reduction strategies: Harm reduction strategies help lower the risks of heroin injection. They also help prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis. These strategies are very important. These strategies aim to minimize the negative consequences of drug use without requiring abstinence.
  • Examples of harm reduction approaches include:
    • Needle and syringe exchange programs: These programs give clean needles and syringes to people who use drugs. This helps reduce the sharing of dirty equipment.
    • Safe injection sites: These supervised places let people inject drugs with help from healthcare workers. They provide clean equipment and can help in case of overdoses.
    • Education and counseling: Giving information on safe injection practices and the risks of HIV and hepatitis is important. It can help people make better choices and reduce the spread of infections.
    • People who inject drugs need easy access to testing for HIV and hepatitis. They should also be able to get treatment. This is very important. They also need proper medical care and treatment if they are diagnosed. This helps reduce the impact of these infections.

80%

Roughly 80% of users reported misusing prescription opioids before using this kind of drug.

_{Source: CDC}

14,000

In 2019, more than 14,000 people died from this type of drug. This was a big increase from earlier years.

_{Source: NIDA}

• Types of drug tests: It can be found using different drug tests. These include urine, blood, saliva, and hair tests. Urine tests are the most commonly used method for detecting recent use.
• Detection window: The detection window for this in drug tests depends on the specific type of test being used. Generally, this drug and its metabolites can be detected:
  • It is present in urine for 1-3 days after use.
  • In blood and saliva tests, this can typically be seen for 6-12 hours.
  • Hair tests can detect this kind of drug use for several months or longer. This depends on how long the hair sample is.

• Testing accuracy: Drug tests for this have generally high accuracy rates when conducted by reputable laboratories. False positives are uncommon. However, false negatives can happen if the drug is not in detectable amounts. They can also occur if the test is done outside the drug’s detection window.
• Purpose of testing: These drug tests serve many purposes. They are used for job screening, monitoring probation or parole, substance abuse treatment, and forensic investigations. They are often used in healthcare to check patients who may be at risk. They also help monitor people in addiction treatment.
• Other opioid detection: Some drug tests can also find other opioids. This includes prescription opioids and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. They have similar chemical structures.

How Much Does Heroin Cost?

This information is for general knowledge only. It should not be seen as a guide for buying or using illegal drugs.

How much is a gram? The weight or quantity typically measures the price and is commonly sold in small units, such as “bags” or “capsules.” Street prices can vary significantly, but on average, a single dose or bag can range from $5 to $20 or more.

The cost can vary across different regions and even within local markets. Supply and demand dynamics, law enforcement efforts, and drug availability can influence regional price variations.

The purity of this type of drug can vary a lot. Higher purity levels usually mean higher prices. Dealers may mix this kind of drug with other substances to make more money. This can change the drug’s quality and price.

How Long Do the Effects of Heroin Last?

Heroin levels peak in the body about 5 minutes after it is injected or snorted. But it is about twice as potent when it is injected.

This produces a feeling of euphoria (a ‘rush’) almost immediately after abusing it. Afterwards, most people experience a sense of calm and detachment. This is followed by a feeling of contentment for several hours after use.

How Long Does This Stay in Your System?

How long this stays in the body can vary for each person. This depends on factors such as height, weight, age, body fat, metabolism speed, and the amount used. Drinking plenty of water may slightly shorten detection times. These variables influence how long it takes to leave the body and how long drug tests can detect it.

The physical symptoms of this withdrawal may include:

• Muscle aches and pains
• Restlessness and insomnia
• Abdominal cramps and diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chills and goosebumps
• Runny nose and watery eyes
• Sweating and fever
• Tearing up or crying

Psychological symptoms are also common during heroin withdrawal. They may include:

• Intense cravings
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Difficulty concentrating

Risks of Heroin Overdose

Overdose is one of the scariest risks of drug abuse. An overdose is possible every time it is abused. The risk of overdose is particularly high when this is combined with other substances like alcohol, fentanyl, or benzodiazepines. 

Overdosing slows or stops breathing, which can lead to unconsciousness, coma, permanent brain damage, or death. While drug overdose rates have gone down in the US, it is still a major cause of drug overdose deaths.

Slow breathing, blue lips or fingertips, extreme sleepiness, and passing out are signs of an overdose. This needs immediate medical help. People who overdose on this may appear to be sleeping and might even snore. 

What to do if you suspect an overdose? If you suspect someone is overdosing, act quickly, as they need immediate treatment. The drug naloxone (Narcan) can reverse the effects of this or other opioids if administered within minutes. Sometimes, more than one dose of Narcan is required to reverse the effects of this. After giving naloxone, call 911 immediately for further care. 

Health experts advise that anyone, especially those around opioid users, should carry naloxone at home. 

• Restlessness.
• Severe skeletal and muscular discomfort.
• Sleep issues.
• Constipation and vomiting.

• Shivering and goosebumps (“cold turkey”).
• Involuntary leg movements (“kicking the habit”).
• Severe opiate withdrawals.

Before And After Heroin

Many people who experience this kind of addiction will go to great lengths to hide their condition. Seeing the warning signs and symptoms of this drug addiction can change everything. It can mean the difference between staying addicted, recovering, or even life and death.

The seven most common characteristics of someone with a drug addiction personality are:

• Changes in physical health and appearance that are sudden or slow.
• Continual impulsivity.
• Constant tiredness.
• Dishonesty and manipulation patterns.
• Unreliable relationships.
• Chronic financial issues.
• Problems managing stress.

• Find out everything you can about how this drug works.
• Hold an intervention to discuss drug use.
• Choose an inpatient heroin treatment program.
• Obtain pre-authorization from insurance providers before receiving therapy.
• Speak with providers of this drug addiction therapy.

• Assist the patient to the medical facility.
• Attend therapeutic sessions as necessary.
• Find out when and where local support groups for addiction meet.
• Watch out for indications of heroin relapse.