Heroin

What is Heroin?

Heroin is a semi-synthetic narcotic that’s been around just a little longer than the 20th century’s been around. Today heroin is becoming more and more popular among teens. Heroin can be used in a number of ways. The drug can be injected, snorted, smoked or swallowed. The effects of heroin are almost instantly felt and last from 3 to 4 hours. Once the drug is in the body the user is hooked, requiring a continuous increase of the drug just to take off the edge.

This increase in the dosage can lead to an overdose and even death. While addiction to heroin is physiological – involving the central nervous system and other body systems affected by the drug – it also involves a strong psychological component, which can continue to make life difficult for ex-user months or years after the physical craving for the drug has gone.