Heroin

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What is heroin?

Heroin is an addictive drug that is illegal in Australia. It is made from the opium poppy.

Heroin belongs to the family of drugs called opioids, along with prescription medicines such as:

morphine
codeine
pethidine
methadone

Opioids work in the brain to relieve pain and make people feel relaxed and contented. However, they can cause unwanted effects, such as breathing problems.

Heroin comes as:

a fine white powder
off-white granules
tiny brown ‘rocks’

Heroin is usually injected into a vein, but it can be smoked or snorted as well.

Heroin is also known as:

smack
gear
hammer
dragon
H
opium
skag
junk
harry
horse
hope
black tar
white dynamite
homebake
china white
Chinese H
poison
Dr Harry

What are the effects of taking heroin?

Heroin is a central nervous system depressant. This means it slows down brain activity and produces feelings of relaxation and drowsiness.

When a person uses heroin, they can experience an immediate ‘rush’, which can:

make them feel drowsy, relaxed and comfortable
dull physical and psychological pain

These effects can last for 3 to 5 hours.

Heroin can also have unwanted effects. In the short term, people who take heroin may:

have small (‘pinned’) pupils
become itchy
find it hard to urinate
have slurred speech
have slow breathing
feel nauseous
have trouble concentrating

In the days after using heroin, people may become irritable or experience depression.

Heroin can affect people differently based on:

how much they take
how strong it is
their size, height and weight
whether they are used to taking heroin or other opioids
whether they take other drugs at the same time

What can go wrong with heroin?

Heroin batches often contain other substances. This can make heroin batches poisonous and prevent a user from knowing how much heroin they are taking. This can lead to an overdose.

Overdoses can happen:

when too much heroin is injected into a vein
if heroin is used with alcohol and other drugs

Signs that someone has overdosed include:

very slow breathing or snoring
cold skin
low body temperature
slow heartbeat
muscle twitching
being very vague or sleepy
gurgling in the throat
blue lips, tips of fingernails or toenails

An overdose is a medical emergency and can cause:

seizures
a stroke
a cardiac arrest (where your heart stops beating — this is a medical emergency)

Can using heroin cause long-term problems?

People who use heroin regularly have a higher risk of:

severe constipation
dental problems
loss of appetite
menstrual and fertility problems (in females)
loss of sex drive (in men)
mood swings, depression, anxiety and confusion

skin and lung infections
heart infections (endocarditis), leading to damaged heart valves
severe blood infections

damaged veins from injecting behaviour
blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV

People who use heroin regularly might also:

neglect their health
have relationship problems
find it hard to do their work properly
have an overdose, either accidentally or deliberately
experience legal or financial problems

What if I use other drugs or alcohol together with heroin?

It is dangerous to mix heroin with other drugs. You are more likely to overdose if you take heroin at the same time as:

ice (crystal meth)
speed
MDMA (ecstasy)

Taking these drugs with heroin can also cause heart and kidney problems.

Your breathing can be affected, and you may breathe in vomit if you take heroin with:

alcohol
cannabis
medicines called benzodiazepines
antidepressant medicines

Can I become dependent on heroin?

In time, some users become tolerant to heroin. This means that they need to take larger and larger doses to get the same rush. Doing this puts them at higher risk of side effects and overdose.

People can also become addicted to heroin. This is when they spend a lot of time thinking about the drug and trying to get it. Some users may even feel like they need the drug just to get through the day. This can impact their:

life
work
relationships

People can also be dependent on heroin. They may find it difficult to stop using heroin or control how much they use. This is often due to withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms start between 6 and 24 hours after the last dose, and are worst after 2 to 4 days. They usually last for about a week and include:

cravings
diarrhoea
increased heart rate
vomiting
loss of appetite
restlessness and irritability
yawning
stomach and leg cramps
muscle spasms
goosebumps
hot and cold flushes
sweating
runny nose and watery eyes

Some mental health symptoms can last for years after the last dose These can include:

depression
anxiety
insomnia
continued cravings

How can I stop using heroin?

Getting off heroin can be difficult. It’s important that you speak to your doctor first. Your doctor can help work out the best approach for you to stop using, which may include: