Heroin

Heroin is a highly addictive drug, and its use is a serious problem in America. Recent studies suggest a shift from injecting heroin to snorting or smoking because of increased purity and the misconception that these forms of use will not lead to addiction.

What to Look for:

Dry mouth
Droopy appearance, as if extremities are "heavy"
Alternately wakeful and drowsy
Disorientation, poor mental functioning
Signs of injection; infections
Shallow breathing

Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

Slang: Alquitran, anti-freeze, Aries, beast, Big H, brown sugar, china white, brown, crap, dirt, DOA, dope, Dr. Feelgood, gallup, gato, girl, gold, goodhorse, H, hard, heaven, Henry, Harry, shoot-up, skag, spoon, smack, shoot, tigre de blanco, quill, mayo, karachi, wings, witch.

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"Adolescents are particularly at risk of adverse reactions from hallucinogen use as they enter puberty, a time of rapid physical and emotional changes. Hallucinogens are particularly dangerous because the effects are so unpredictable. They can cause violent behavior in some and suicidal tendencies in others. As memory, perception, and judgment are clouded under the influence, users are at risk of severe injuries, overdose, and death from drowning, burns, falls, and car accidents. Sometimes, hallucinogen use can uncover severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia or severe depression." Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse.