heroin
WHAT IS HEROIN?
Heroin is also known as 'hammer', 'H', 'smack', 'horse', 'white' and 'beige'.
Heroin belongs to the class of drugs known as depressants, meaning that it slowa down the body. It comes from a group of drugs called narcotic analgesics or opioids. Heroin is closely related to morphine and pethidine which are commonly used in hospitals for pain relief. Heroin is also a very strong painkiller. All these drugs are derived from opium, which is a dried substance produced from the opium poppy plant. Heroin is actually manufactured from a combination of morphine and codeine (also from opium), and is actually stronger and more addictive than either of these on there own.
Heroin is rarely used for medicinal purposes, due to the high potential of it being abused. There are crops of opium poppy in Tasmania which are grown for this purpose. Most of the illicit heroin in Australia comes from Asia and the Middle East.
The pure form of heroin is a white powder. However, as it is often mixed with other substances, street heroin can be more a brownish-beige colour. It is impossible to know what other substances have been mixed with the heroin in its production. It is these 'extra' substances that make heroin so dangerous.
Heroin can be used in a variety of ways, however it is usually injected. Heroin can also be snorted or smoked.
The cost of heroin varies according to availability and market trends. It can cost $500-$800 per gram. Whether an addict or an occasional user, heroin is a very expensive drug. People who are addicted to heroin often have to finance their habit by illegal methods.
THE EFFECTS OF HEROIN
Like all other drugs, the effects of heroin vary greatly in different circumstances. They depend on the characteristics of the user, such as mood, physical size, gender and personality. They depend on the drug itself, it's purity, the amount used and whether it is injected, smoked or snorted. It also depends on the setting that the drug is taken.
Some of the main side effects of heroin are listed below. These can vary depending on what other substances the heroin is 'cut' with.
The short term effects of small doses of heroin
Pain relief
Shallow breathing
Nausea and vomiting
Constipation
Feeling of wellbeing
Sleepiness
Loss of balance, coordination and concentration
Short term effects of larger doses
Breathing becomes even more depressed
Pupils narrow to pinpoints
Skin is cold to touch
The central nervous system can be depressed to the point where heart rate and breathing stop
Long term effects
Dependence
Loss of appetite
Pneumonia
Chronic constipation, heart, chest and bronchial problems
Women often experience irregular menstruation and may also be susceptible to infertility
Men can experience impotence
DEPENDENCY
Can users become dependent on heroin?
Tolerance and dependency develop very quickly with heroin. This means that users require higher doses to get the same effect as their body becomes used to it. Someone who has become dependent on heroin is reliant on the drug for them to function in their lives.
Dependency can be very tough to break. Users will often experience withdrawal symptoms when they try to quit. These may include restlessness, diarrhoea, cramps, goosebumps and low blood presssure. Quitting heroin is difficult in the short term, but the long term benefits are far mopre important. There are a couple of programs which are used to help users break their addiction - the naltrexone program and the methadone program. Both of these will only work if the user is completely committed to quitting. Both of them involve regular medications to reverse the habit, and neither of them are 100% effective.
THE LAW
Is heroin use and/or possession illegal?
In Western Australia it is illegal to use, possess, manufacture or supply heroin. Penalties can be as high as $100 000 and/or a 25 year imprisonment. It is illegal to drive while under the influence of amphetamines.
SAFE PRACTICES
It is best not to use heroin at all. However, those who do should remember the following:
- Users should not be left alone in case they experience some bad side effects
- Call an ambulance as soon as you think someone is having bad side effects of the drug. If someone collapses and you know CPR, put them in the coma position and ensure teir airway is clear
- Use clean syringes whenever injecting, and NEVER share needles. This reduces the risk of spreading deadly infections such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B. Many cities have special syringe exchange programs where users can leave their used syringes and pick up clean ones.
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