what does heroin look like

what does heroin look like. Heroin is an illegal drug that is synthesized from morphine, which in turn is derived from opium, the juice that is secreted by seeds of the poppy plant. Heroin belongs to a group of pain-relieving drugs called narcotics.

The drug comes from the opium poppy, a flower that grows in Asia, Mexico, and South America. Pure heroin has the consistency of white powder. Some heroin is also dark brown, while black tar heroin is either sticky or hard and looks like roofing tar.

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How it is used

Heroin can be dissolved in water and injected directly into a vein or under the muscle or skin. It can also be smoked or snorted. Heroin is usually injected or smoked. Purer forms of heroin are inhaled.

Recognizing heroin

The purest forms of heroin are white powder. As the drug is mixed with other substances its texture and color can change, with less pure forms having coloration that can range from beige to brown depending on what another substance has been “cut” with. There is also a dark brown or black version of the drug that has a tar-like feel.

Although white powder heroin is more refined than other forms of the drug, heroin sold on the streets is never pure heroin. Dealers typically mix the drug with cutting agents to stretch their supply and increase profit. Demerol, Dilaudid, Endocet , Hydrocodone, Lortab, Mobic,  Morphine Sulfate, Norco, Opana,AND AMBIEN.

Effects on the Body

In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine. It binds to opioid receptors very quickly, and the resulting rush sensation is what users seek. How intense this feeling depends on how much the person takes and how quickly the drug gets into the brain. According to the NHTSA’s Drugs and Human Performance Fact Sheets, effects start within 15-60 minutes and last up to 6 hours; the initial rush might last from less than a minute up to a couple of hours. An intravenous dose can take as little as 7 seconds to produce a reaction.

When effects hit, the skin may feel warm and flushed. Side effects often include dry mouth and heaviness in the arms and legs. Some effects can also include nausea, vomiting, and itching and, after initially experiencing the rush, a person usually feels tired for the next several hours. Slow mental, heart, and lung function results as well. If breathing slows down too much, it can be life-threatening.

Withdrawal may be felt just a few hours after taking a dose, so physical dependence becomes quite strong. Users may need as many as four doses per day totally anywhere from 300-500 milligrams and in severe addictions up to 1,500 milligrams. NHTSA lists similar numbers for heroin and morphine.

When in withdrawal, a user will experience muscle/bone pain, restlessness, insomnia, vomiting, diarrhea, cold flashes, involuntary leg movements, and goosebumps. The symptoms peak within a couple of days but can last a week or even months. Variations in purity once again present a problem, because one cannot know for sure how much drug is being ingested. Combined with other drugs or chemicals that might be mixed in, this can severely complicate the presentation and outcome of a heroin overdose. CRACK COCAINE and others like China White.

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