What you need to know

Heroin
Substance
Abuse
Mary Caster
Beth Flynn
Erica Lang
Melissa Wise

What is Heroin?
An illegal, highly addictive opioid drug that is
produced from morphine
It is a naturally occurring substance taken
from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy
plant
Appears as a white or brown powder or as a
black sticky substance known as black tar
heroin
Also known as:
Dope

H
Junk
Smack
Skag

From Flowers
to Heroin

How is it used?
There are many methods of using heroin:
o Injected (most common)
o Snorted/Sniffed
o Smoked
The heroin users kit includes:
o
o
o
o

Heroin
Syringe with Needle
Spoon
Lighter / candle

o
o
o
o

Cigarette filter
Belt
Citric acid
Water

The user mixes heroin, citric acid and water on a spoon. The
spoon is held over the lighter / candle to heat the substances
so they mix. Cigarette filter is placed on the end of the
syringe and the solution is drawn up through the filter to
remove impurities. It is now ready to be injected.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgSyIV2H2tQ

Injection Sites:

Arms
Behind Knees
Groin Area
Neck

How does it affect the body?

How Addiction Occurs:
Effects are immediate
Length of time in the
body varies from
person to person
A tolerance develops
with regular heroin use
causing the user to
need a larger amount
dose to achieve the
same high
Withdrawal symptoms
can occur 48-72 hrs
after last dose;
symptoms may last 1
week or longer

Short Term Effects:

Rush/ feeling of

Euphoria
Clouded thoughts
Slowed breathing
Decreased sense of pain
Nausea / Vomiting
Tired / Sedation

Long Term Effects:

Addiction
Infectious disease
Collapsed Veins
Bacterial Infections
Abscesses
Infection of heart lining
Liver / Kidney disease

Withdrawal Symptoms:

Nausea/ Vomiting / Diarrhea / Abdominal cramps

Fever and sweating
Cold flashes and goose bumps
Muscle and bone pain
Tremors
Restlessness and Insomnia

Sudden withdrawal can be fatal

What to do if you suspect

a heroin overdose

** Narcan is now carried by

all Safety workers for
emergencies **

Call 911 or Poison control (1-800-222-1222)

Check to make sure they are still breathing
Stay with the person
Signs of overdose:
Remain Calm / try to keep them calm
Slow, difficult breathing
Be aware of your own safety
Skin cool to touch
Do not try to reason with or offer opinions to Small Pupils (Pin Sized)
Dry mouth
the abuser
Drowsiness

Disorientation
Bluish nails or lips
Slurred Speech
Impaired judgment
Unconscious

Treatment / Safety Options

Narcotics Anonymous:
A free program for recovering addiSXDcts to help gain a support
system to stay clean
(www.na.org or 818.773.9999 x771)

Local Treatment Facilities:

Syracuse Behavioral Health Center

Tully Hill Chemical Dependency Treatment Center
Crouse Chemical Dependency Treatment Center

Needle Exchange Programs

A public health measure to prevent blood borne diseases, most

notably HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Provide a way for drug users to safely dispose of used syringes
and to obtain sterile syringes at no cost

References
Best treatments for young people with heroin addiction: No rule book. (2013). Brown University Child &
Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update, 15(8), 1-6.
Boix, F., Andersen, J., & Mrland, J. (2013). Pharmacokinetic modeling of subcutaneous heroin and its
metabolites in blood and brain of mice. Addiction Biology, 18(1), 1-7.
Coffin, P., & Sullivan, S. (2013). Cost-effectiveness of distributing naloxone to heroin users for lay
overdose reversal. Annals Of Internal Medicine, 158(1), 1-9.
Darke, S. (2013). Pathways to heroin dependence: time to re-appraise self-medication. Addiction,
108(4), 659-667.
Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation, Detoxification Syracuse Behavioral Healthcare. (n.d.). Retrieved
September 14, 2014.
Evren, C., Can, Y., Yilmaz, A., Ovali, E., Cetingok, S., Karabulut, V., & Mutlu, E. (2013). Psychometric
Properties of The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-10) in Heroin Dependent Adults and
Adolescents with Drug Use Disorder. Dusunen Adam: Journal Of Psychiatry & Neurological
Sciences, 26(4), 351-359.
Heady, T. N., & Haverstick, D. (2014). Heroin: a worsening problem and a challenge for testing. MLO:
Medical Laboratory Observer, 46(7), 22.
Heroin overdose: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2014.
Lewis, S. (2011). Addictive Behavior. In Medical-surgical nursing: Assessment and management of clinical
problems (8th ed., p. 169). St. Louis, Mo.: Elsevier/Mosby.
Lindsey, W., Stewart, D., & Childress, D. (2012). Drug interactions between common illicit drugs and
prescription therapies. The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, 38(4), 334-343.
Liu, S., Li, L., Shen, W., Shen, X., Yang, G., & Zhou, W. (2013). Scopolamine detoxification technique for
heroin dependence: a randomized trial. CNS Drugs, 27(12), 1093-1102
Muhuri, P., & Gfroerer, J. (2011). Mortality associated with illegal drug use among adults in the United
States. The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, 37(3), 155-164.
National Institute of Drug Abuse ([field_revisiondate_1]). Heroin Retrieved from
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin on September 14, 2014
Top Syracuse Addiction Recovery Centers: Reviews and Ratings. (n.d.). Retrieved September 14, 2014.
Wang, Q., & Liu, Z. (2012). Characteristics of Psychopathology and the Relationship Between Routes of
Drug Administration and Psychiatric Symptoms in Heroin Addicts. Substance Abuse, 33(2),
130-137.