Heroin is one of many drugs known as opioids – drugs originating from the opium poppy PAPAVER SOMNIFERUM. Other drugs in the same family include Opium, Morphine, Pethidine, Methadone, Codeine and Wellcanol.

Also known as: Thai white and Brown Sugar

Street names: Unga, Beat and “H”

How is it made?

It is made by treating morphine (an extremely potent pain killer) with various chemicals forming heroin salts – a white powder. This is then “cut” or mixed with other substances, e.g. Brooklax, talcum powder to make it go further. This impure form is street heroin and is brown. This is also known as Brown Sugar. The purer form is known as Thai White.

How is it used?

Heroin can be injected under the skin or directly into a vein. This is called “mainlining” or “spiking’’. It is also sniffed, inhaled or smoked. When heroin is smoked heroin powder is heated in tin foil and the resulting black smoke is then inhaled. This is called “chasing the dragon”.

Symptoms of Heroin abuse:

Constricted pupils
Mood swings
Constipation
Personality changes
Loss of appetite and weight
Sleepiness
Decreased sex drive
Slurred speech

Risks of Heroin Abuse

A person can become addicted to heroin after only a few days of using it. This means the person needs more and more of the drug to get high and will experience withdrawal symptoms after stopping.

What are the effects of Heroin?

“Rush”
Slowed breathing
Cloudy thoughts and feeling confused
Nausea and vomiting
Spontaneous abortion
Amenorrhea (Women stop getting their period, the menstrual cycle stops)

What are the long-term effects?

Addiction
Infectious diseases e.g. HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B and C
Collapsed veins
Abscesses and sores
Infection of heart lining and valves
Arthritis and joint pain
Accidental death through overdose

Suspicious signs to look for

Bent & blackened teaspoons
Blackened tinfoil
Matchbox covers
Hypodermic Syringes & needles
Lemons or packets of citric acid
Needle marks
Unidentified tablets, capsules or syrups
Tourniquet (belt or rubber band used to stop the blood flow so that a vein is visible)

What happens when you STOP using?

Withdrawal symptoms begin within 4-6 hours after the last dose in heavy users. For the first 48-72 hours the symptoms may be painful and unpleasant but is rarely life threatening.

Symptoms include:

Sweating
Nausea and vomiting
Trembling and shaking
Shortness of breath
Dizziness
Pounding heart
Stomach cramps
Diarrhoea
Muscular aches and pains
Cold, sweaty and covered in goose-flesh (This is often referred to as “cold turkey”)

How to deal with the withdrawal

Methadone – At the moment in South Africa most of the symptoms of withdrawal can be managed by entering a methadone withdrawal program, where lower and lower doses of methadone are given to prevent unpleasant symptoms. This should be medically supervised by a doctor and is best done in an inpatient program with counselling as there is a risk of the person becoming dependant on methadone.
Subutex – This seems to be more effective than methadone as it is not as addictive and reduces cravings for heroin. In addition to this it also prevents the person from feeling the high if they use heroin while on the drug.