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Heroin

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Substance

Heroin (chemical name: diacetylmorphine, DAM) is a semi-synthetic substance, belongs to the group of opioids (painkillers) and is made from raw opium, a substance obtained from opium poppies.

Opioid agonists (formerly: substitution drugs; medications used to treat heroin addiction)

Methadone, extended-release morphine (e.g., Sevre Long®, MST®, Kapanol®), buprenorphine (e.g., Subutex®), levomethadone (L-Polamidon®), and diacetylmorphine (Diaphin®). These medications are opioids used for stabilization in heroin addiction. For users unaccustomed to opiates, even small amounts can be life-threatening (severe respiratory depression, risk of suffocation), and the same side effects apply as described below.

group

Downer

Forms of appearance

Sold as heroin ("street heroin"): white to cream-colored, gray, or brownish powder. Sold as tablets or diacetylmorphine (diacetylmorphine): caution, due to its pharmacological purity, the dosage is approximately five times higher than that of street heroin.

Consumption patterns

Heroin is injected or snorted, less often smoked (foil smoking). Mixing heroin with cocaine is called a cocktail or "speedball".

dosage

The dose depends heavily on the specific product, its purity, and individual tolerance. The lethal dose for individuals without tolerance is approximately 60 mg of pure heroin

Be careful when mixing substances!

  • alcohol

  • Codeine

  • Ketamine

  • cocaine

  • Nitrous oxide

  • Opioids (painkillers)

  • Amphetamine (Speed)

  • Benzodiazepines

  • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)

  • grapefruit

Substance groups

Effect

Extremely dose-dependent and highly variable from person to person. The spectrum of effects ranges from euphoria, relaxation, disinhibition, increased sexual desire, heightened perception, talkativeness (verbal enlargement), mild dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, and deep sleep with unconsciousness (blackout). [1]

Onset of action

10–20 minutes after ingestion

Duration of effect

1 – 2 hours

Aftereffects

2 to 4 hours

Risks and side effects

Slowed breathing, nausea, vomiting, itching, low blood pressure, slow pulse, constricted pupils, and urinary retention may occur. Overdosage can lead to a reduction in respiratory rate or even respiratory arrest with potential brain and organ damage, potentially resulting in death. Medical attention must always be sought in the event of an overdose.

Long-term risks

Regular use can lead to sleep disturbances, anxiety, and tremors; there is a risk of addiction with psychological and physical symptoms. Chronic high-dose use (multiple doses daily) leads to severe physical withdrawal symptoms upon cessation, such as epileptic seizures, which can be life-threatening. Regular use of high doses of GHB, and especially repeated loss of consciousness as a result of GHB use (or combined use with GHB), carries a high risk of developing lasting impairments of thinking and intellectual performance. [1]

Safer Use

  • Heroin is rarely swallowed, which is the lowest-risk method of consumption. However, a large part of its effects is lost this way. Snorting is the second lowest-risk method, but it can still lead to unintentional overdoses.

  • Heroin varies in purity; only DAM tablets offer reliable purity.

  • The risk of overdose is particularly high after longer breaks from consumption (no consumption for more than 2 days) and with unexpectedly "pure" substances.

  • Consume in a quiet environment and not alone.

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