Heroin
- Not to be confused with heroine.
Heroin (also called Diacetylmorphine or Diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid. It is an analgesic (a painkiller). It is made from the sap of the poppy plant. It is like other drugs made from the poppy plant sap, for example, opium or morphine. There is a high risk of getting addicted. Many countries consider it to be an illegal drug unless it its taken for medical purposes.
Heroin is a white or brown powder. People smoke or inject heroin to get a calm feeling of relaxation called "being high," or "euphoria". Heroin is a very addictive drug. This means that once a person starts taking heroin, they will want to take more heroin, even if it's making them sick.
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[change] Legality
It is illegal to make, sell, and use heroin in most countries, unless a doctor has prescribed it for a person. Many people smuggle heroin and sell it illegally on the streets to make money.
[change] Dangers of using heroin
If people use heroin, they may take too much and get sick or even die. This is called an "overdose" (taking too much). As well, when people take heroin, they get intoxicated (like being drunk on alcohol). When a person is intoxicated, they can get hurt if they drive a car or other vehicle. As well, when a person is intoxicated, they may do dangerous things, such as have unsafe sex with a person that they do not know, or get into a violent fight with a person. There is also the danger of "Withdrawal". Withdrawal is when someone quits using an opiate, like Heroin, after they've been using it for a while. A user can have withdrawal symptoms even just after 3 days of continued use. Withdrawal can be one of the worst fears of a user, and they will do anything to not have to go through it. Withdrawal can make someone feel like they have the flu. Other symptoms are hot and cold sweats, chills, body aches, diarrhea, loss of appetite, and not being able to sleep.
Heroin is a very addictive drug. This means that if a person starts taking the drug, they will want to keep taking it, and it will be hard to stop, even if the drug is making a person sick (ill). Addiction means that a person will do much more than usual to get enough money to buy another dose of the drug. Most of the time, this means that they will sell things they have. At some point, the person may have sold all their belongings. Sometimes, the only options left then are to work as a prostitute (that is to sell having sex for money), or to become a criminal, and do things like theft, robbery, or fraud. By making some drugs legal, it is possible that prices for hard drugs will drop, and the people addicted might become less involved in such extreme behaviors.
Another danger from using heroin is infection with dangerous diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis C. When a person is injecting heroin, a person can get an HIV or Hepatitis C infection from another person if they are sharing the same syringe (needle). As well, if a person is "high" on heroin, they could get an AIDS or Hepatitis C infection from having unsafe sex with a person that they do not know.
[change] Street names
There are many slang street names for this drug, and they can be different from place to place. Some of them are: China White, Dope, Horse, Junk, H, Smack and some call it by its name Heroin. In the early 1970s in Harlem (NYC), drug lord Frank Lucas had 98-100% pure product from Thailand called "Blue Magic."
[change] Heroin history
Heroin was made in 1898, by the Bayer Company in Germany. It started as a cough medicine, and pain killer. People thought it would help with morphine and opium addiction. Instead it became a very addictive drug. Twelve years later doctors realized it was heroin that people became addicted to. The Harrison act of 1914, was the first of many attempts to control the use of heroin. The word heroin comes from the German word, heroisch, which means powerful and heroic.
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