Heroin facts
How it affects you
- It’s a depressant and acts as a powerful physical and psychological painkiller.
- It creates a sense of euphoria and wellbeing.
- Heavy use makes you sleepy, sedated and incoherent.
- First-time users often suffer nausea and vomiting.
Other names
Smack, brown, 'H', gear, skag, harry, horse, jack.
Is it legal?
- Class A.
- Possession carries a maximum sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
- Supply or production carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a fine.
- Related substances such as Pethidine and Dihydrocodiene are class B.
- Kaolin, Morphine and Codeine are available over the counter and on prescription.
The risks, signs and symptoms
- There is a high risk of death from overdose, especially if you’ve been drinking alcohol or taking other depressant drugs.
- Regular use brings the risk of self-neglect and of infections and abscesses from injecting.
- Your cough reflex can be suppressed for long periods of time leaving you open to chest infection.
- Constipation is also common among regular users.
- You can become tolerant quickly, so you need more heroin to regain the high or stave off withdrawal.
- After a period of abstinence, tolerance drops and the risk of overdose increases.
- Heroin is very physically addictive and though withdrawal is not fatal it is extremely unpleasant.
How you can reduce the risks
- The only way to fully reduce the risks from heroin is to not take it.
- Don’t mix heroin with other substances.
- Injecting heroin is especially dangerous: your veins can be damaged and there is the added risk of blood borne diseases if you share any equipment.