Heroin Also called: Black tar, H, Horse, Junk, Skag, Smack Summary Heroin is a white or brown powder or a black, sticky goo. It’s made from morphine, a natural substance in the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. It can be mixed with water and injected with a needle. Heroin can also be smoked or snorted up the nose. All of these ways of taking heroin send it to the brain very quickly. This makes it very addictive. Major health problems from heroin include miscarriages, heart infections, and death from overdose. People who inject the drug also risk getting infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Regular use of heroin can lead to tolerance. This means users need more and more drug to have the same effect. At higher doses over time, the body becomes dependent on heroin. If dependent users stop heroin, they have withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea and vomiting, and cold flashes with goose bumps. NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute on Drug Abuse Statistics and Research Abuse of Prescription Pain Medications Risks Heroin Use National Institute on Drug Abuse CDC Vital Signs: Today’s Heroin Epidemic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Heroin Addiction National Institute on Drug Abuse Research Reports: Heroin National Institute on Drug Abuse Find an Expert Buprenorphine Physician Locator Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Enforcement Administration National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute on Drug Abuse Opioid Treatment Program Directory Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Partnership at Drugfree.org Partnership for a Drug-Free America Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Heroin Dependence National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Methadone National Institutes of Health Treatments and Therapies Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction National Institute on Drug Abuse What Are the Treatments for Heroin Addiction? National Institute on Drug Abuse What Is Substance Abuse Treatment? A Booklet for Families Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Start Here Heroin National Institute on Drug Abuse Heroin National Institute on Drug Abuse Heroin (Smack, Junk) Facts National Institute on Drug Abuse Opioids: The Prescription Drug & Heroin Overdose Epidemic Department of Health and Human Services Teenagers Heroin Nemours Foundation Heroin National Institute on Drug Abuse Array Heroin overdose Opiate withdrawal Tips for Teens: The Truth about Heroin Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Images Heroin Photos Drug Enforcement Administration Encyclopedia Methadone overdose Opioid intoxication Journal Articles Heroin Diagnosis and Tests Signs of Heroin Abuse and Addiction National Institute on Drug Abuse Children What You Need to Know About Drugs: Heroin Nemours Foundation Latest News Opioid Painkiller May Be New Treatment for Heroin Addicts HealthDay Anti-Addiction Drug May Help Curb Painkiller, Heroin Dependence HealthDay