Heroin
Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the dried latex of the opium poppy. It is mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects, but it is also used medically in several countries to relieve pain, such as during childbirth or a heart attack. Heroin was first made by C. R.
- synthesized_by
- C. R. Alder Wright
- class
- morphinan opioid
- source
- dried latex of the opium poppy
- medical_use
- pain relief (e.g., childbirth, heart attack)
- common_forms
- white or brown powder, black tar heroin
- controlled_under
- Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs
Lore & Background
Heroin was first made by C. R. It is typically injected, snorted, smoked, or inhaled, with rapid onset of effects lasting a few hours. Common side effects include respiratory depression, dry mouth, drowsiness, impaired mental function, constipation, and addiction. Use by injection can result in abscesses, infected heart valves, blood-borne infections, and pneumonia. After long-term use, withdrawal symptoms can begin within hours of the last use. When injected into a vein, heroin has two to three times the effect of a similar dose of morphine. Illegal heroin is often mixed with substances such as sugar, starch, caffeine, quinine, or other opioids like fentanyl.
Reader's Guide
Heroin is significant as a widely abused recreational drug and as a medical analgesic in some countries. It is controlled internationally under Schedules I and IV of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. Treatment of heroin addiction often includes behavioral therapy and medications such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone, while overdose may be treated with naloxone. In the United States, about 1.6 percent of people reported using heroin at some point in their lives. When people die from drug overdose, the drug is usually an opioid and often heroin.
Did You Know?
- When injected into a vein, heroin has two to three times the effect of a similar dose of morphine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Heroin?
Heroin, chemically called diacetylmorphine or diamorphine, is a morphinan opioid derived from the dried latex of the opium poppy. It is best known as a powerful recreational drug but also has limited medical applications in certain countries.
What does Heroin look like?
It most commonly appears as a white or brown powder, though a darker, sticky variant known as black tar heroin is also encountered in some regions.
Is Heroin used in medicine?
Yes—several countries employ it as a painkiller in specific clinical situations, such as managing pain during childbirth or in the aftermath of a heart attack.
Why is Heroin so widely discussed?
Its intense euphoric effect combined with a very high risk of physical dependence makes it one of the most notorious and heavily regulated opioids in the world.
More in Addictive Substances & Medications 1-24
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