Heroin

The Names:

Heroin, H, smack, skag, horse, junk and brown.

Background:

Heroin is a painkiller made from morphine. It is a brownish-white powder, and can be snorted, smoked, or injected.

The Law:

Heroin and morphine are Class A drugs in every form. Possession and supply is illegal, and penalties high.

The Effects:

Users feel warm, well and happy. Large doses can lead to drowsiness. Some users may experience nausea or vomiting, especially after injecting. Excessive doses can result in overdose, coma or death.

The Risks:

Heroin is a very addictive drug, and many users find their habit spirals out of control very quickly as tolerance develops (which means you need more to get the same effect). It is very difficult to withdraw from heroin, and users trying to may experience diarrhoea, insomnia, vomiting, hot and cold sweats and cramp, known as 'cold turkey'. Sharing needles when injecting heroin risks HIV, hepatitis and gangrene.

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