1. Heroin

2. What is it? It is an illegal, highly addictive drug
Natural occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of Opium poppy plant
White or brown powder
Cu1c

3. Street names “H” Smack Skag Junk Big H Blacktar Brown Sugar Dope Horse
Mud

4. Blacktar Heroin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWY5QW QdrQ4
Synthetic form of heroin that is a black and sticky substance

5. What category of drug is it?
Opiate

6. Where did it come from?
Heroin was made in 1898 by the Bayer Company in Germany.
It was originally cough medicine and pain killer.
20 years later, doctors realized it was an extremely addictive substance.
Harrison Act of 1914 outlawed Heroin in the first of many attempts to control it’s use.
Word Heroin means powerful & heroic

7. How is Heroin used?
1. Snorted
2. Smoked
3. Injected (IV)

8. Snorting
Sniffed through nose and absorbed into mucus membranes of nose and throat
Peak effects are felt within 10 to 15 minutes
Not as powerful or does not produce the “Rush”

9. Smoking
Inhaling the drug into the mouth and lungs from inhaling the fumes
Also known as free-basing
Peak effects are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes
Does not produce the “rush” as IV use

10. Injecting (IV Use)
Injecting drug directly into bloodstream by penetrating the veins with a hypodermic needle
Method produces greatest intensity of the drug
Most rapid euphoria (7 to 8 seconds)
Produces the “Rush” that users speak of

11. Short-term effects “Rush” Depressed respiration
Clouded mental functioning
Nausea & vomiting
Suppression of pain
Spontaneous abortion
Drowsiness
Block out pain & Problems
Lack of attention
Loss of appetite
Euphoria

12. Long-Term Effects of Heroin
Addiction
Infectious disease (HIV/AIDS)
Collapsed Veins
Bacterial Infections
Abscesses
Infection of heart lining & valves

13. Dope Sickness Withdrawal symptoms are extremely powerful
Violent vomiting
Convulsions
Cold sweats
Extreme pain

14. Law or Medical Problem???

15. Not-so Fun Facts
Average 84,000 visits to the ER annually in the United States due to Heroin use.
Purity has drastically increased over past 20 years
75% purity today vs. 46% purity in 1991
600k heroin addicts in United States
400 new addicts per day
4th leading cause of death for people 25 to 49 years old.

16. Average first time user?
21.8 Years old is average age of first-time user.