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Summary
Heroin is a white or brown powder or a black, sticky goo. It's an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance in the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. It can be mixed with water and injected with a needle. Heroin can also be smoked or snorted up the nose. All of these ways of taking heroin send it to the brain very quickly. This makes it very addictive.
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.
NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse
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DrugFacts: Heroin
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
- Heroin (Drug Enforcement Administration)
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Heroin (Smack, Junk) Facts
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
Diagnosis and Tests
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Drug Testing
(National Library of Medicine)
Also in Spanish
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Signs of Heroin Abuse and Addiction
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Treatments and Therapies
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Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Also in Spanish
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What Can Be Done for a Heroin Overdose?
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF Also in Spanish
Images
- Heroin Photos (Drug Enforcement Administration)
Statistics and Research
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Abuse of Prescription Pain Medications Risks Heroin Use
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- PDF
- CDC Vital Signs: Today's Heroin Epidemic (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
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Heroin: Statistics and Trends
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
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Research Reports: Heroin
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Heroin Dependence
(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Methadone
(National Institutes of Health)
Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Find an Expert
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Drug Enforcement Administration
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National Institute on Drug Abuse
Also in Spanish
- Opioid Treatment Program Directory (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Partnership at Drugfree.org (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Children
- What You Need to Know About Drugs: Heroin (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Heroin (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
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Heroin
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Tips for Teens: The Truth about Heroin (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
Women
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How Does Heroin Use Affect Pregnant Women
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Patient Handouts
- Heroin overdose (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Opiate and opioid withdrawal (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
- Tips for Teens: The Truth about Heroin (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF