The bottom line: The bottom line: If The bottom line: you know someone who uses heroin, urge him or

her to stop or get help. If you use heroin—stop! The longer you ignore

the real facts, the more chances you take with your life.

It's never too late. Talk to your parents, a doctor, a counselor, a

teacher, or another adult you trust.

Do it today!

Q. Isn't heroin a less dangerous

drug if you snort or smoke it

instead of injecting it?

A. No. Heroin is heroin. There is no

safe way of ingesting it. You can

still die from an overdose or

become addicted by snorting or

smoking it.

Q. Can withdrawal from heroin kill

you?

A. Although it is seldom fatal, withdrawal from heroin produces drug

cravings, restlessness, muscle and

bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea,

vomiting, and other symptoms that

usually last about a week, but may

last for many months.

Q. Will heroin use alter my brain?

A. Yes. Heroin enters the neurons or

cells of the brain and changes the

speed of the chemicals in the

brain. It not only affects your

brain physically, but also affects

the way you think.

Heroin ••••••

To learn more about heroin or obtain

referrals to programs in your community, contact one of the following tollfree numbers:

SAMHSA’s National Clearinghouse

for Alcohol and Drug Information

800-729-6686

TDD 800-487-4889

linea gratis en español

877-767-8432

Curious about the TV ads of the National Youth

Anti-Drug Media Campaign? Check out the Web site at

www.freevibe.com or visit the Office of National Drug

Control Policy Web site at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.
Slang—Smack, Horse, Mud, Brown Sugar, Junk, Black Tar, Big H, Dope, Skag

musicians and other celebrities may have influenced

many young people to stay away from heroin use, but to

others, the dangers are still not clear. The average age of

first use was 23.3 in 2001.3

Know the risks. Because the strength of heroin varies

and its impact is more unpredictable when used with

alcohol or other drugs, the user never knows what might

happen with the next dose.

Look around you. The vast majority of teens are not

using heroin. According to a 2002 national study, less

than 1 percent report ever having tried it.4

Know the Signs...

How can you tell if a friend is using heroin? Signs

and symptoms of heroin use are:

• Euphoria

• Drowsiness

• Impaired mental functioning

• Slowed down respiration

• Constricted pupils

• Nausea

Signs of a heroin overdose include:

• Shallow breathing

• Pinpoint pupils

• Clammy skin

• Convulsions

• Coma

What can you do to help a friend who is using

heroin? Be a real friend. You might even save a life.

Encourage your friend to stop or seek professional help.

For information and referrals, call the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at 800-

729-6686.

Heroin ••••••

Get the Facts...

Heroin affects your brain. Heroin enters the brain

quickly. It slows down the way you think, slows down

reaction time, and slows down memory. This affects the

way you act and make decisions.

Heroin affects your body. Heroin poses special

problems for those who inject it because of the risks of

HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other diseases that can

occur from sharing needles. These health problems can

be passed on to sexual partners and newborns.1

Heroin is super-addictive. Heroin is highly addictive

because it enters the brain so rapidly. It particularly

affects those regions of the brain responsible for producing physical dependence.

Heroin is not what it may seem. Despite the glamorization of “heroin chic” in films, fashion, and music,

heroin use can have tragic consequences that extend far

beyond its users. Fetal effects, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis,

violence, and crime are all linked to its use.

Heroin can kill you. Heroin is one of the top two

frequently reported drugs by medical examiners in drug

abuse deaths.2

Before You Risk It...

Know the law. Heroin is an illegal Schedule I drug,

meaning that it is in the group of the most highly addictive drugs.

Get the facts. Any method of heroin use—snorting,

smoking, swallowing, or injecting the drug—can cause

immediate harm and lead to addiction.

Stay informed. The untimely deaths of several popular

Revised in 2004

For more information go to www.ncadi.samhsa.gov