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Opiates
Diamorphine
(heroin)
Drug group - Opiates
Street names
Smack, H, skag, horse, gear, brown
Drug effect
Painkiller and depressant (downer). Effects last for 2 to 3 hours
Description
White/brown powder normally containing 20-40% pure heroin, often cut with adulterants or other drugs
Clear solution in ampoules
Tablet (10mg)
Freeze dried powder in ampoules (5mg, 10mg, 30mg, 100mg, 500mg)
Therapeutic use
Severe pain and drug dependence
Street use
Smoked, sniffed, "chasing the dragon" (inhaling fumes of heated heroin), injected. Heroin produces little effect if taken by mouth.
Dependency
Yes
Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms appear 8-24 hours after last dose and symptoms resemble severe flu together with diarrhoea. They peak around the third day and fade after 5-10 days. Sleeplessness may continue for some months.
Long term use
Constipation
Breathing difficulties
Irregular periods
Weight loss (anorexia)
If injected - infection risk, circulatory problems
Overdose risk
Deaths from the use of heroin alone are relatively infrequent. However, the overdose risk increases after a period of abstinence, as this leads to lack of tolerance, and also if heroin is mixed with drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, benzodiazepines or barbiturates. There is a risk of death due to the inhalation of vomit because of the emetic effect of heroin and its depression of the cough reflex.
Legal status
Prescription Only Medicine
Class A, Schedule 2.
Illegal to possess without a prescription and to supply to others
Maximum penalty
Possession: 7 years
Supplying: Life
Only medical practitioners licensed by the Home Office can prescribe diamorphine to dependent drug users.
SPECIAL NOTE
There have been recent reports of users 'snowballing' or 'speedballing' - injecting or smoking heroin and cocaine together.