Heroin

Handling a heroin problem, before it becomes a tragedy for your family or friends, is vitally important. Addiction is very devastating, for the addicted and for those around them.

We’re here to help. Call us toll free at (877) 554-7308 (everything is in complete confidentiality). The job of our Addiction Professionals is to provide you with answers, support and advice.

Below is specific information on heroin:

Street terms for heroin: smack, thunder, hell dust, big H, nose drops.

What does heroin look like?

Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste.
Most illicit heroin varies in color from white to dark brown.
"Black tar" heroin is sticky like roofing tar or hard like coal, and its color may vary from dark brown to black.

How is heroin used?

Injecting
Smoking
Snorting

Who uses heroin?

In the United States in 1999 there were 104,000 new heroin users.
In 2000, approximately 1.2% of the population reported heroin use at least once in their lifetime.

How does GHB get to the United States?

The U.S. heroin market is supplied entirely from foreign sources of opium.
Production occurs in South America, Mexico, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia.

How much does heroin cost?

Nationwide, in 2000, South American heroin ranged from $50,000 to $200,000 per kilogram. Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin ranged in price from $40,000 to $190,000 per kilogram. Wholesale-level prices for Mexican heroin were the lowest of any type, ranging from $13,200 to $175,000 per kilogram. The wide range in kilogram prices reflects variables such as buyer/seller relationships, quantities purchased, purchase frequencies, purity, and transportation costs.

What are the effects of heroin use?

One of the most significant effects of heroin use is addiction. Once tolerance happens, higher doses become necessary to achieve the desired effect, and physical dependence develops.
Chronic use may cause collapsed veins, infection of heart lining and valves, abscesses, liver disease, pulmonary complications, and various types of pneumonia.
May cause depression of central nervous system, cloudy mental functioning, and slowed breathing to the point of respiratory failure.
Heroin overdose may cause slow and shallow breathing, convulsions, coma, and possibly death.
Users put themselves at risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other viruses.

More Information

Read the most recent articles about heroin

Read what Addiction Help Services has to say about heroin

HEROIN

DRUG NEWS

OUR VIEWS