HEROIN LAURA + OSKAR

ABOUT THE DRUG This drug is a mix between morphine and opium It can be taken in many ways such as snorting it or smoking but is mostly injected It is highly addictive and enters the brain quickly Tolerance can develop tolerance which Is caused by regular use, therefore to get the same high the user increases their dose leading to an addiction Health risks may included HIV, collapsed veins etc.

THE APPEAL The appeal for a lot of people is that it gives you “an amazing high”. Heroin users tend to say that there is something missing from their life so it “numbs” them. People who are regular users of heroin also say that at first it was only a one time thing but then it developed into an addiction as each time they did it, the more they wanted to do it and the stronger their dosage was. As well, many users say that the drug gets rid of their anxiety and they feel happier in a way, but all the positive things that came with it at first quickly faded away as they became more and more addicted.

SHORT TERMS EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN Heroin overdoses frequently involve a suppression of breathing. This can affect the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, a condition called hypoxia. Hypoxia can have short- and long- term psychological and neurological effects, including coma and permanent brain damage. After an intravenous injection of heroin, users report feeling a surge of euphoria (“rush”) accompanied by dry mouth, a warm flushing of the skin, heaviness of the extremities, and clouded mental functioning. Following this initial euphoria, the user goes “on the nod,” an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. The most common effect of heroin is euphoric feeling and a subjective rush of vitality, accompanied by a physiological increase in body temperature. The euphoria may last as little as 45 seconds to as long as several minutes. The most intense peak effects have a duration of about 2 hours and the overall “high” wears off in about 5 hours after heroin administration, leaving a feeling drowsiness, of relaxation and disconnection to the rest of the world.

SHORT TERM EFFECTS ON THE BODY Skin flushing Dry mouth Nausea Vomiting Intense itching Drowsiness Slow cardiac system function Slow breathing Convulsions (especially in cases of overdose)

LONG TERM EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN One result is tolerance, in which more of the drug is needed to achieve the same intensity of effect. Another result is dependence, characterized by the need to continue use of the drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Studies have shown some deterioration of the brain’s white matter due to heroin use, which may affect decision-making abilities, the ability to regulate behaviour, and responses to stressful situations.

LONG TERM EFFECTS ON THE BODY Decay of teeth + Inflammation of the gums Constipation Cold sweats Itching Weakening of the immune system Coma Respiratory (breathing) illnesses Muscular weakness, partial paralysis Reduced sexual capacity and long-term impotence in men + Menstrual disturbance in women Loss of memory and intellectual performance Introversion, depression loss of appetite and insomnia Pustules on the face

TRYING TO COME CLEAN Once you are a heroin addict it’s very hard to get clean. It’s a long process and requires a lot of self motivation and a lot of mental strength. Regardless of who you are or were, you will still struggle and require a lot of effort to quit heroin. During the process of coming clean, addicts go through seven issue. These issues are: daunting withdrawal symptoms, belief in the myth of willpower, a failure to understand that it’s a long way to recovery, unrealistic expectation about the risk of relapse, neglecting problems and the fact that addicts return to the scene of the crime.

ANTIDOTES When a heroin user overdoses, there is a substance called Naloxone or Narcan. It is used to reverse the effects of the opium especially in an over dose. It is usually mixed with another substance to avoid it being misused. The antidote is injected into the user’s muscles and tends to work within five minutes. The effects of it last about half an hour to one hour.

SUBSTITUTIONS A lot of users want to turn their lives around so they try to find a less expensive, less harmful drug than heroin. They user’s tend to generally go for a drug called ‘swim’ which is a pain killer and gives you a similar high as heroine. Other users tend to go for dangerous amount of morphine so that they are able to gain the same high as they did when they were injecting heroin into their bloodstreams.