Fact Sheet - Heroin

 

• According to the Massachusetts Health Promotion Clearinghouse, 16% of 8th graders say heroin is easy to obtain. [2002 report]

• Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting heroin to snorting or smoking because of increased purity and the misconception that these forms are safer. [2005 report]

• Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder.

• There is a broad range of treatment options for heroin addiction, including medications as well as behavioral therapies. Science has taught us that when medication treatment is integrated with other supportive services, patients are often able to stop heroin (or other opiate) use.

• In the eastern United States, heroin is typically sold as a powder that is white (or off-white) in color. Generally, the purer the heroin the whiter the color, because variations in color result from the presence of impurities.

• All heroin users, not just those who inject the drug, risk becoming addicted.

• On the street, heroin purity and price often reflect the drug’s availability. High purities and low prices, for example, indicate that heroin supplies are readily available.

 

• Heroin was the most frequently identified drug in victims of fatal overdose in New Mexico over a 9-year period (1995–2003).

 

• Acute withdrawal syndrome following heroin dependence can last 7 days, and typically begins 4 to 6 hours after the last dose.

 

• Acute heroin withdrawal typically lasts 5 to 10 days.

Bullets:  Remove Bullets  Disc ( )  Circle ( )  Square ( )  Clover ( )  Arrow ( )  Numbers (1, 2, 3...)