# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is a highly addictive drug derived from morphine, which is obtained from opium poppy plants otherwise known as an opioid. It is a downer or depressant, that affects the brain’s pleasure systems and interferes with the brain’s ability to perceive pain.

Also known as dope, junk, horse and smack among, other slang terms, heroin is a white to dark brown powder or tar-like substance. It used in a variety of ways, often injected into a vein or muscle, placed on tinfoil and inhaled as smoke through a straw or snorted as powder.

Heroin causes a surge of euphoria (rush) accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin and heavy limbs. Following this initial euphoria, a person goes “on the nod,” an alternately wakeful and drowsy state.

Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic use may lead to collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses (swollen tissue with pus), constipation and gastrointestinal cramping, and liver or kidney disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health of the person using heroin as well as from the drug’s effects on breathing. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not really dissolve and clog the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs. With regular heroin use, tolerance develops.

As higher doses are used over time, physical dependence and addiction develop. With physical dependence, the body has adapted to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms may occur if use is reduced or stopped. Withdrawal, which in people who use heroin regularly may occur as early as a few hours after the last administration, produces drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea and vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps (cold turkey), kicking movements (kicking the habit) and other symptoms. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose and subside after about a week.

# data[].attributes.body
China white heroin is a type of name that  they give to heroin people in the streets call it white heroin. It got the name because people assume what the substance they are buying off the street is straight-up fentanyl when the drug is actually anything but. So the name China White is actually a misnomer.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is mixed with water and injected with a needle. It can also be sniffed, smoked, or snorted. People who use heroin sometimes combine it with other drugs, such as alcohol or cocaine (a speedball), which can be particularly dangerous and raise the risk of overdose.

# data[].attributes.body
Crack cocaine

Crystal methamphetamine

GHB and analogs

Inhalants

Jimsonweed

Ketamine

Khat

# data[].attributes.body
LSD

Marijuana

MDMA

Methamphetamine

PCP

Powdered cocaine

Prescription drugs

Yaba

# data[].attributes.body
Some people are able to use recreational or prescription drugs without experiencing negative effects, while others find that substance use takes a serious toll on their health and well-being. Similarly, there is no specific point at which drug use moves from casual to problematic.

Drug abuse and addiction is less about the type or amount of the substance consumed or the frequency of your drug use, and more about the consequences of that drug use. If your drug use is causing problems in your life—at work, school, home, or in your relationships—you likely have a drug abuse or addiction problem.

# data[].attributes.body
Your medical team can help you find the treatment plan that works best for you. It will probably include medication and behavioral therapy. Experts say this medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is the gold standard of care for people who have heroin addiction.

Medications can make it easier to wean your body off heroin and reduce cravings. Buprenorphine and methadone work in a similar way to heroin, binding to cells in your brain called opioid receptors. These medicines are safer and longer-lasting than heroin. Naltrexone blocks those receptors so opioids like heroin don’t have any effect. This makes using them less enjoyable.

Cognitive behavioral therapy helps you pay attention to the things you think and do when it comes to drug use. It gives you ways to better cope with stress and other triggers. Another type of therapy called contingency management offers rewards such as vouchers or money if you can stay drug-free.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains a Web site (findtreatment.gov) that shows the location of residential, outpatient, and hospital inpatient treatment programs for drug addiction and alcoholism throughout the country.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers more than just suicide prevention it can also help with a host of issues, including drug and alcohol abuse, and can connect individuals with a nearby professional. People can also find more information about how to treat Heroin in Treat OUD.

# data[].attributes.body
In the normal neural communication process, dopamine is released by a neuron into the synapse, where it can bind to dopamine receptors on neighboring neurons. Normally, dopamine is then recycled back into the transmitting neuron by a specialized protein called the dopamine transporter.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is a central nervous system depressant. This means it slows down a person’s brain function and affects their breathing which can slow down or even stop. The person’s body temperature and blood pressure drop, and their heartbeat can become irregular.

# data[].attributes.body
When people snort the drug (intranasal use), they inhale cocaine powder through the nostrils, where it is absorbed into the bloodstream through the nasal tissues. Users also may rub the drug onto their gums (oral use). Dissolving cocaine in water and injecting it (intravenous use) releases the drug directly into the bloodstream and heightens the intensity of its effects.

# data[].attributes.body
Once heroin enters the brain, it is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. People who use heroin typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation a rush. The intensity of the rush is a function of how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to the opioid receptors.

# data[].attributes.body
With heroin, the rush is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities. Nausea, vomiting, and severe itching may also occur. After the initial effects, users usually will be drowsy for several hours mental function is clouded heart function slows; and breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes enough to be life-threatening. Slowed breathing can also lead to coma and permanent brain damage.

# data[].attributes.body
While heroin in its modern form was not developed until the late 19th century, the compounds from which heroin is derived, opium and morphine, date back more than 5,000 years. In the region that is now known as the Middle East, Mesopotamians and Sumerians started cultivating the opium poppy around 3400 BC. Opium was extracted from these poppy flowers and used for legitimate medical purposes as a sedative and analgesic.

# data[].attributes.body
Repeated heroin use changes the physical structure  and physiology of the brain, creating long-term imbalances in neuronal and hormonal systems that are not easily reversed. Studies have shown some deterioration of the brain’s white matter due to heroin use, which may affect decision-making abilities, the ability to regulate behavior, and responses to stressful situations.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence. Tolerance occurs when more and more of the drug is required to achieve the same effects. With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly.

# data[].attributes.body
A variety of effective treatments are available for heroin use disorder, including both behavioral and pharmacological medications. Both approaches help to restore a degree of normalcy to brain function and behavior, resulting in increased employment rates and lower risk of HIV and other diseases and criminal behavior. Although behavioral and pharmacologic treatments can be extremely useful when utilized alone, research shows that for many people, integrating both types of treatments is the most effective appearances. Scientific research has established that pharmacological treatment of opioid use disorder increases retention in treatment programs and decreases drug use, infectious disease transmission, and criminal activity.

When people addicted to opioids like heroin first quit, they undergo withdrawal symptoms (pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting), which may be severe. Medications can be helpful in this detoxification stage to ease craving and other physical symptoms that can often prompt a person to relapse. The FDA approved lofexidine, a non-opioid medicine designed to reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms. While not a treatment for addiction itself, detoxification is a useful first step when it is followed by some form of evidence-based treatment.

Medications developed to treat opioid use disorders work through the same opioid receptors as the addictive drug, but are safer and less likely to produce the harmful behaviors that characterize a substance use disorder. Three types of medications include: agonists, which activate opioid receptors: partial agonists, which also activate opioid receptors but produce a smaller response; and antagonists, which block the receptor and interfere with the rewarding effects of opioids. A particular medication is used based on a patient’s specific medical needs and other factors.

The many effective behavioral treatments available for opioid use disorder can be delivered in outpatient and residential settings. Approaches such as contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy have been shown to effectively treat heroin use disorder, especially when applied in concert with medications. Contingency management uses a voucher based system in which patients earn points based on negative drug tests, which they can exchange for items that encourage healthy living. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is designed to help modify the patient’s expectations and behaviors related to drug use and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors. An important task is to match the best treatment approach to meet the particular needs of the patient.

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of certain varieties of poppy plants. It is typically sold as a white or brownish powder that is cut with sugars, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste. Important: Just because a drug is pure does not mean that it is healthy or good for you. It can be toxic or poisonous to your body. Highly pure heroin can be snorted or smoked and may be more appealing to new users because it eliminates the stigma associated with injection drug use. "Black tar” heroin is sticky like roofing tar or hard like coal. Its dark color results from crude processing methods that leave behind impurities. Impure heroin is usually dissolved, diluted, and injected into veins, muscles, or under the skin.

# data[].attributes.body
Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last time the drug is taken. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and leg movements. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24–48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week.

# data[].attributes.headline
6. Individuals between the age of 18-25 are reported as the most common users of heroin. And although the use of heroin by teens between the ages of 12 to 17 is at its lowest point since the year 1991, it is still a consistent problem. Though the ingredients within heroin have been around for thousands of years, the specific chemistry of this drug was synthesized back in 1874. And while it was originally believed to be a good alternative to morphine, medical professionals quickly found it to be even more addictive and is now illegal in the United States.

# data[].attributes.subject
6. Individuals between the age of 18-25 are reported as the most common users of heroin. And although the use of heroin by teens between the ages of 12 to 17 is at its lowest point since the year 1991, it is still a consistent problem. Though the ingredients within heroin have been around for thousands of years, the specific chemistry of this drug was synthesized back in 1874. And while it was originally believed to be a good alternative to morphine, medical professionals quickly found it to be even more addictive and is now illegal in the United States.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin enters the brain rapidly and binds to opioid receptors on cells located in many areas, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure and in controlling heart rate, sleeping, and breathing.

# data[].attributes.body
In addition to blocking pain, opioid receptors are involved in feelings of pleasure and in controlling heart rate, sleeping and breathing. This means that while heroin dulls pain and offers a rapid and intense rush, it may also impair cognitive functioning, increase sedation, and slow certain autonomic functions, such as those that control a person’s respiratory rate. In other words, it may depress the brain’s cognitive function and a person’s ability to breathe.

# data[].attributes.body
The discovery of heroin and the development of heroin abuse are introduced. Heroin, the hydrochloride of diacetylmorphine, was discovered by acetylation of morphine. Heroin, in pharmacological studies, proved to be more effective than morphine or codeine. The Bayer Company started the production of heroin in 1898 on a commercial scale. The first clinical results were so promising that heroin was considered a wonder drug. Indeed, heroin was more effective than codeine in respiratory diseases. It has turned out, however, that repeated administration of heroin results in the development of tolerance and the patients become heroin-addicts soon. In the early 1910s morphine addicts discovered the euphorising properties of heroin and this effect was enhanced by intravenous administration. Heroin became a narcotic drug and its abuse began to spread quickly. Restrictions on its production, use and distribution were regulated by international treties.

The total ban on heroin production was also proposed. As a result of the strict regulations the production and cosumption of heroin showed a significant decrease after 1931. At the same time the underworld recognized the shortage of heroin and started the illicit production and trafficking. The quantity of heroin seized by law enforcement agencies in the past decades rose gradually. As an indicator of the worldwide heroin market, the quantity of confiscated heroin underwent a tenfold increase since 1970. The paper surveys the most important heroin-producing and trafficking countries. Heroin, prepared in clandestine kitchen or jungle laboratories, is diluted cut by every member of the illegal heroin distributing chain, i.e. smugglers, traffickers, dealers and vendors.

# data[].attributes.body
In 2015, something happened in the United States that hadn’t occurred there in the past 100 years: life expectancy entered a period of sustained decline. According to the World Bank Group, the country’s average life expectancy fell from 78.8 years in 2014 to 78.7 years in 2015, and then to 78.5 years in 2016 and 2017. In most high-income countries, life expectancy has been increasing, gradually but steadily, for decades. The last time that life expectancy in the United States showed a similar decline was in 1915–18, as a result of military deaths in the First World War and the 1918 influenza pandemic. More people in the United States died from overdoses involving opioids in 2017 than from HIV- or AIDS-related illnesses at the peak of the AIDS epidemic. “Most people living have never seen anything this bad,” says Keith Humphreys, a psychiatrist at Stanford University in California and a former White House drug-policy adviser.

# data[].attributes.body
For the remaining 42 States and the District of Columbia, the sample size is about 900 per State. In all States and the District of Columbia, the design oversampled youths and young adults; each State's sample was approximately equally distributed among three age groups: 12 to 17 years, 18 to 25 years, and 26 years or older.

Older people tend to take more drugs than younger people because they are more likely to have more than one chronic medical disorder, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or arthritis. Most drugs used by older people for chronic disorders are taken for you.

Heroin is the most used drug among older adults, with about 65% of people 30 and older reporting high-risk drinking, defined as exceeding daily guidelines at least weekly in the past year.

# data[].attributes.body
Men are more likely than women to use almost all types of illicit drugs, and illicit drug use is more likely to result in emergency department visits or overdose deaths for men than for women. "Illicit" refers to use of illegal drugs, including marijuana (according to federal law) and misuse of prescription drugs. For most age groups, men have higher rates of use or dependence on illicit drugs and alcohol than do women. However, women are just as likely as men to develop a substance use disorder. In addition, women may be more susceptible to craving and relapse, which are key phases of the addiction cycle.

# data[].attributes.body
Using heroin can impact various parts of your body in a number of different ways, but some of the most damaging effects of heroin actually occur in the brain. When you inject, sniff, snort, or smoke heroin, the drug enters your body and binds to opioid receptors in the brain’s cortex, limbic system, and stem, which work together to form your brain’s reward system. This means that heroin use can affect the way you think and process information, how you react emotionally to the world around you, and even how you breathe, sleep, and eat. One puff, snort, sniff, or injection of heroin can hijack these areas of the brain, which can have severe and long-lasting effects.

When you’re in pain, your brain produces natural opioid chemicals to help relieve discomfort and aching. Most times these naturally occurring opiates don’t last for a very long time and may not be strong enough to help ease chronic pain. Heroin, on the other hand, works like a very strong version of the natural opioid chemicals in your brain. Heroin enters your body and binds itself to your brain’s opioid receptors. Because of heroin’s high potency, the substance releases an influx of dopamine and other neurotransmitters that help you feel relaxed, happy, and free from pain. Unfortunately, this is where problems in the brain begin. The more the brain encounters synthetic opioids, the less likely it is to produce natural opioids, making it more difficult for the brain to go drug-free.

Excessive or continual use of heroin can destroy the white matter in your brain. Losing large amounts of white matter can negatively impact your ability to reason and make decisions. A decreased amount of white matter in the brain might also make it hard for you to regulate your behavior and deal with stress.

# data[].attributes.body
impure heroin is usually dissolved so that means, that people could used  it as diluted, or injected into the veins or into the muscles or the under skin. but the most common way to use the heroin is to snored it or smoke it

# data[].attributes.body
Many people who choose to snort heroin will do so because it does not require the use of tools. Snorting heroin usually occurs with the powder form of the drug. When the substance is snorted, it takes longer for the high to begin, meaning that not as much of the drug will affect the brain at once. Oftentimes, those who begin with snorting heroin will turn to smoking or injecting it later to get a more intense high.

# data[].attributes.body
when people are smoking heroin, the substance is burned and then inhaled. To smoke this substance, people will put the substance on aluminum foil, heat the foil with a lighter, and inhale the smoke using a straw. When smoked, it usually takes a few minutes for the high to begin. Along with the addictiveness of the drug, lung damage is one of the common consequences associated with smoking heroin.

# data[].attributes.body
They called them this because Heroin was not cheap. And because it was not cheap some people that were addicted started to go to junkyards. When they went to the junkyards they looked for scrap metal they could sell to get Heroin. So they call people who are addicted to Heroin junkies and some people also call the drug junk because of the junkyard problem.

# data[].attributes.body
one problem that heroin brings is on your work place because if they found out that you been using heroin it could lead you to losing your job and you could be going to jail if they tell they police if you are using illegal drugs.

# data[].attributes.body
If the police find you using drugs that could stay in your record and if it does you are going to have a hard time finding a job. Heroin could affect you education because when you become addicted to heroin and the only thing you are going to think is about the drug and where to get it.

# data[].attributes.body
heroin could lead you to some fetal effects i your body it could bring a lot of problems in your health. you could get some  pretty nasty thing like hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, fetal effects. but the most part it could affect you health if your using heroin in a young age because your body is still not developed.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGvllptSxDQ

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_J26zSCnCI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Long term and short term effects of heroin drug - Signs, Symptoms, Withdrawal, Detox & Overdose

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant, classifying it as a downer. As a semi-synthetic opioid, heroin originated from opium found in the poppy plant and has since been chemically manipulated into the illicit drug it is today. This highly addictive and dangerous substance is a main component in the ongoing opioid crisis.  According to National Institute Drug Abuse opioids were responsible for 49,860 overdose deaths in 2019 alone.

Heroin is a central nervous system depressant. This means it slows down a person’s brain function and affects their breathing which can slow down or even stop. The person’s body temperature and blood pressure drop, and their heartbeat can become irregular. The person may lose consciousness or lapse into a coma. Ambulance officers, family and friends can give the medication naloxone to reverse the effects of heroin. In February 2016, naloxone was rescheduled to be made available for purchase over the counter. Talk with your pharmacist for more information.

Heroin is an illegal substance in the opioid class. Other opioids include morphine, codeine, pethidine, buprenorphine and methadone. Heroin is made from the sap of the opium poppy. It is highly addictive and people who use it can become dependent and experience cravings. Initial effects include feelings of wellbeing and relief from physical pain.

# data[].attributes.headline
People inject, sniff, snort, or smoke heroin. Some people mix heroin with crack cocaine, a practice called speedballing. Heroin enters the brain rapidly and binds to opioid receptors on cells located in many areas, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure and in controlling heart rate, sleeping, and breathing. When people overdose on heroin, their breathing often slows or stops. This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia.

# data[].attributes.subject
People inject, sniff, snort, or smoke heroin. Some people mix heroin with crack cocaine, a practice called speedballing. Heroin enters the brain rapidly and binds to opioid receptors on cells located in many areas, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure and in controlling heart rate, sleeping, and breathing. When people overdose on heroin, their breathing often slows or stops. This can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia.

# data[].attributes.body
Crack cocaine is a really highly addictive and a powerful stimulant  that is derived from powdered cocaine using simple conversion. People use it because  it produces an immediate high and because it is easy and inexpensive to produce.

# data[].attributes.body
Repeated heroin use changes the physical structure¹³ and physiology of the brain, creating long-term imbalances in neuronal and hormonal systems that are not easily reversed.14,15 Studies have shown some deterioration of the brain’s white matter due to heroin use, which may affect decision-making abilities, the ability to regulate behavior, and responses to stressful situations.¹⁶⁻¹⁸ Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence. Tolerance occurs when more and more of the drug is required to achieve the same effects. With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly.

# data[].attributes.body
heroin is ultimately derived from the opium poppy. Also known as Papaver somniferum, these poppies are grown from seeds until they reach maturity and the flower petals shed, leaving only a small, egg-shaped seed pod. These pods are what is desired and harvested to extract and process into opium, morphine, and eventually heroin.

According to the Drug Enforcement Agency, opium poppy flowers flourish best when grown in arid, warm climates. Too much moisture during the growing process can affect the chemical dilution of the sap, leading to a less potent end product.

The flower is grown wherever is possible due to the lucrative nature of poppy cultivation, but the majority of large-scale production occurs throughout much of Central Asia as well as in the drier regions of the Middle East. We also see an influx of opium poppies grown in Central America and Colombia.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin.
People inject, sniff, snort, or smoke heroin. Some people mix heroin with crack cocaine, a practice called speedballing.
Heroin is highly addictive. People who regularly use heroin often develop a tolerance, which means that they need higher and/or more frequent doses of the drug to get the desired effects. A substance use disorder SUD is when continued use of the drug causes issues, such as health problems and failure to meet responsibilities at work, school, or home. An SUD can range from mild to severe, the most severe form being addiction.

# data[].attributes.body
Major health problems from heroin include miscarriages, heart infections, and death from overdose. People who inject the drug also risk getting infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Regular use of heroin can lead to tolerance. This means users need more and more drug to have the same effect. At higher doses over time, the body becomes dependent on heroin. If dependent users stop heroin, they have withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea and vomiting, and cold flashes with goose bumps.

# data[].attributes.body
People inject, sniff, snort, or smoke heroin. Some people mix heroin with crack cocaine, a practice called speedballing.

# data[].attributes.headline
what are the short and long term effects of the drug? (PMES)

# data[].attributes.subject
what are the short and long term effects of the drug? (PMES)

# data[].attributes.body
Short-Term Effects

dry mouth

warm flushing of the skin

heavy feeling in the arms and legs

nausea and vomiting

severe itching

clouded mental functioning

going "on the nod," a back-and-forth state of being conscious and semiconscious

Long-Term Effects

insomnia

collapsed veins for people who inject the drug

damaged tissue inside the nose for people who sniff or snort it

infection of the heart lining and valves

abscesses (swollen tissue filled with pus)

constipation and stomach cramping

liver and kidney disease

lung complications, including pneumonia

mental disorders such as depression and antisocial personality disorder

sexual dysfunction for men

irregular menstrual cycles for women

# data[].attributes.headline
is this drug popular with teens, adults, or both and why ? (talk about the popularity or common use of the drug)?

# data[].attributes.subject
is this drug popular with teens, adults, or both and why ? (talk about the popularity or common use of the drug)?

# data[].attributes.body
in 2016 about 948,000 Americans reported using heroin also known as “horse,” “smack” or “H” in the past year, a number that has been on the rise since 2007. The primary driver of the trend appears to be young adults, ages 18–25. The number of people using heroin for the first time is high, with 170,000 people trying heroin for the first time 2016 nearly double the number of people in 2006.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cocaine vs Heroin - Which Drug is More Dangerous (Drug Addiction)?

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhkEt1SHgZo

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Heroin Addiction and Withdrawal | Understand and Overcome Heroin Addiction

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin enters the brain rapidly and binds to opioid receptors on cells located in many areas, especially those involved in feelings of pain and pleasure and in controlling heart rate, sleeping, and breathing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
"Stories of Recovery: Matt" - Patient Testimonial - Rehab Testimonial - Addiction Stories

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oxycontin, Heroin and Alcohol Testimonial | RESIDENCE XII

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Miles Overcomes Heroin |True Stories of Addiction |  Detox To Rehab

# data[].attributes.headline
It’s important to understand that heroin found on the street is never in a pure form. Once it hits the market, heroin has been altered with additives and “cut” with other intoxicants and/or common substances, either to make it more potent or to allow dealers to sell less actual heroin for a higher profit. For example, the powdered form of heroin may be mixed with baking soda, powdered milk, or talcum powder to make users think they are buying more than they are. This is such a common practice that users simply have to accept it. However, the fact that it’s difficult to tell how pure heroin is without special equipment makes the drug all the more dangerous. A new batch of heroin that’s purer than a user expects can lead to overdose.

# data[].attributes.subject
It’s important to understand that heroin found on the street is never in a pure form. Once it hits the market, heroin has been altered with additives and “cut” with other intoxicants and/or common substances, either to make it more potent or to allow dealers to sell less actual heroin for a higher profit. For example, the powdered form of heroin may be mixed with baking soda, powdered milk, or talcum powder to make users think they are buying more than they are. This is such a common practice that users simply have to accept it. However, the fact that it’s difficult to tell how pure heroin is without special equipment makes the drug all the more dangerous. A new batch of heroin that’s purer than a user expects can lead to overdose.

# data[].attributes.headline
Does this drug have any legal or beneficial uses?

# data[].attributes.subject
Does this drug have any legal or beneficial uses?

# data[].attributes.body
Although some narcotics like codeine and morphine are legal if prescribed for pain relief, heroin is an illegal narcotic because it has dangerous side effects and is very addictive.

# data[].attributes.headline
What problems might a user of this drug run into? (PMES)

# data[].attributes.subject
What problems might a user of this drug run into? (PMES)

# data[].attributes.body
Describe what can happen to your body when you misuse prescription opioids: short-term effects include sleepiness, confusion, nausea, constipation, and slowed or stopped breathing long-term effects of opioid abuse include increased risk of addiction and overdose.

# data[].attributes.headline
Heroin is a highly addictive illicit drug that is derived from the poppy plant. Once used for routine pain management, it quickly became evident to doctors and patients how addicting this substance is. Even after the first hit, the user’s brain craves more. Heroin addiction is a problem that claims thousands of lives every year. It isn’t only abused by seasoned drug addicts anymore, as even teenagers from the suburbs are becoming hooked on the substance. Heroin addiction treatment at a residential rehab facility is often necessary for those who have developed an addiction to it.

# data[].attributes.subject
Heroin is a highly addictive illicit drug that is derived from the poppy plant. Once used for routine pain management, it quickly became evident to doctors and patients how addicting this substance is. Even after the first hit, the user’s brain craves more. Heroin addiction is a problem that claims thousands of lives every year. It isn’t only abused by seasoned drug addicts anymore, as even teenagers from the suburbs are becoming hooked on the substance. Heroin addiction treatment at a residential rehab facility is often necessary for those who have developed an addiction to it.

# data[].attributes.body
Black tar heroin is a form of heroin that is sticky like tar or hard like coal. Its dark color is the result of crude processing methods that leave behind impurities. Despite its name, black tar heroin can also be dark orange or dark brown in appearance. Black tar heroin is impure diamorphine.

# data[].attributes.headline
Is the drug a stimulant(upper) or a depressant (downer) drug?

# data[].attributes.subject
Is the drug a stimulant(upper) or a depressant (downer) drug?

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin, a Schedule I illicit opioid, is not a stimulant. In fact, it is the opposite of a stimulant: instead of revving up the central nervous system, heroin suppresses it.

Sometimes, heroin is combined with illicit stimulants like cocaine and taken as a speedball. A person may mix the two so that the cocaine combats the sedating effects of heroin.
Heroin is a central nervous system depressant. Like other opioids, it slows down, or depresses, activity in the central nervous system.

The drug achieves its effects by binding to mu-opioid receptors in the brain. It also targets the brain’s reward system, leading to a compulsion to take the drug, which can result in addiction.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin earned the nickname “horse” because it kicks equines into overdrive. Morphine and other opiates, which lull humans to sleep, also trigger the ancient equine flight response. Trainers experimented during morning workouts, discovering the right dope and dose for each horse. So the hopped up horse runs without reserve.

# data[].attributes.headline
Where could a person go for help if they have problems with this drug?

# data[].attributes.subject
Where could a person go for help if they have problems with this drug?

# data[].attributes.body
1. Know your teen's activities. Pay attention to your teen's whereabouts.

2. Establish rules and consequences.

3. Know your teen's friends.

4. Keep track of prescription drugs.

5. Provide support.

6. Set a good example.

Drug treatment can include behavioral therapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy or contingency management, medications, or their combination. The specific type of treatment or combination of treatments will vary depending on the patient's individual needs and, often, on the types of drugs they use.

# data[].attributes.body
Heroin is a depressant drug – it slows down certain functions of a person's brain and nervous system. Some of the immediate effects of heroin include feelings of wellbeing and relief from physical pain.