HEROIN/BROWN/SMACK

What is it?

Heroin is one of a group of drugs that comes from the opium poppy. This group, in the purest form includes morphine, codeine and others, although heroin is semi synthetic and consequently cannot be included. Heroin is refined from morphine increasing potency significantly. It is used to treat severe pain in patients suffering from terminal diseases. It is also a drug which many people experience chronic addiction problems through the illegal market. A small number of people in the UK receive it for the containment and treatment of that addiction.

What does it look like?

Heroin is a powder. It ranges in colour from white (in its purest form) to off-white, yellowish and (in its most common, street form in the UK) shades of brown. At street level, heroin is usually sold by the gramme or part-gramme in small paper packets, known as 'wraps' or 'bags'. A bag will weigh a fraction of a gramme and will cost in the region of £10, although larger or smaller quantities are also sold. As prices dropped larger quantities are traded at 'street' level quality.

Quality

Street heroin is usually 'cut' or mixed with other powders to bulk it out and increase profits. Purity normally ranges from 40% to 50%. Much of the shortfall may be natural metabolites of the poppy or by products of the production process. Adulterants may be harmful, but most evidence suggests this is not typical or deliberate supplier policy. Periodically, very pure heroin may be sold on the street, causing overdoses due to the heroin being more potent than expected. See Tolerance below.

How is it used?

Heroin is usually smoked or injected. It is also snorted. Smoking heroin is also known as 'chasing the dragon.' A small line of Heroin will be placed on a piece of silver foil and heated from below.The heroin runs into a liquid and gives off a curl of smoke, which is inhaled through a rolled tube of paper.

When injected, heroin is dissolved in water and injected into a vein, a muscle or just below the skin. These two latter methods are dangerous when using acidified 'base' (brown) heroin, as abscesses and ulcers are common.

what are the effects?

Heroin is a powerful pain killer with a euphoric effect. These combined effects produce a sense of wellbeing, warmth and contentment. At higher dosages users may become drowsy, find it hard to talk and may appear to fall asleep for a few minutes at a time.

Users' pupils will become smaller. Some will experience an itching sensation. First time users often experience nausea or vomiting.

What are the risks?

Heroin use poses a number of risks. Some can be attributed to the drug itself, while others arise from the lifestyle which is often associated with regular heroin use. The risks include dependency, health problems, legal and social problems.

Overdosing, injecting and contaminants carry particular risks which are explained in this text.

Dependency and Withdrawal

Heroin is physically addictive. After a period of regular use there is an unpleasant period of withdrawal as the drug is cleared from the body and the body adjusts to functioning without heroin. The body starts to reproduce its own natural chemicals that the heroin has replaced, but this takes some days.

When regular heroin users stop using, they experience a range of very unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal. These include hot and cold sweats, severe stomach and muscle cramps, sleeplessness, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and runny nose.

These symptoms will sometimes last for more than a week. However, withdrawal is not life-threatening. Far more problematic is the psychological struggle, often rooted in childhood trauma, compounded by time spent dependent on the drug and the temptation to start using heroin again during this period, in the knowledge that doing so will alleviate the withdrawal symptoms.

Tolerance

Regular use of heroin leads to an increase in tolerance of the drug. Initially this means that users need to take increasingly large amounts to achieve the same level of euphoria and well-being.

Over time, increased tolerance means that users need to use increasingly large quantities just to stop themselves going into withdrawal, or just to feel 'normal'. The need to increase the drug does level off in most users, but this level is beyond the means of many users.

When heroin use is stopped (for example after a spell in prison), the user's tolerance drops. Users in this position, who start using heroin again at the same level as previously, run a high risk of overdosing. Overdosing

One of the biggest risks associated with heroin use is 'overdosing', or taking too much of the drug in one go.

Heroin can depress breathing. In overdose, breathing can cease altogether. Heroin varies in strength and purity. Users' tolerance for the drug can also go up and down. Both these factors contribute to the risk of overdosing.

Overdosing remains a significant cause of death among heroin users.

Injecting

Injecting heroin is especially dangerous. Injectors are more likely to overdose and experience health problems such as vein damage, abscesses, blood poisoning and blocked veins.

Injectors who share equipment (needles, syringes, spoons, filters or other paraphernalia) also run the risk of contracting Hepatitis B and C, HIV and other blood-borne diseases.

Other Problems

While pure heroin is not especially toxic to human organs, contaminants in street heroin can cause damage, especially when they are injected.

Regular users of heroin can experience severe constipation. It can also suppress the cough reflex, leading to a risk of chest and bronchial problems.

Further problems arise from the lifestyle associated with heroin use. This can lead to poor diet, poor accommodation and risk of illness.

The illegality of heroin use can cause serious problems for users. Some users will commit crimes in order to pay for heroin, increasing these problems further.

Legal Position

Heroin is a Class A drug Schedule 2 drug.

It is illegal to possess without a prescription, supply or produce heroin without a licence.

It is illegal for occupiers of premises, or anyone concerned in the management of premises, to allow those premises to be used for the production or supply of heroin.

Being unfit to drive under the influence of any intoxicant, including heroin, is an offence which is likely to lead to the loss of your driving licence (see also methadone). Getting your licence back and obtaining insurance after losing it are likely to be difficult.

Sentences, especially for supply (including giving or selling to friends), can be heavy. Possession of even a small quantity of heroin can lead to a charge for intent to supply. Sentences for drug offences depend upon the quantities involved, previous convictions and other relevant circumstances.

For further clarification of the current legal position please call our legal helpline or consult your solicitor.