Drugs

Heroin

Asian Heroin Black Tar Heroin Needle

Slang Names:

smack, thunder, hell dust, big H, nose drops

Description:

Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste.
Most illicit heroin varies in color from white to dark brown.
"Black tar" heroin is sticky like roofing tar or hard like coal, and its color may vary from dark brown to black.

Symptoms / Consequences:

One of the most significant effects of heroin use is addiction. Once tolerance happens, higher does become necessary to achieve the desired effect, and physical dependence develops.
Chronic use may cause collapsed veins, infection of heart lining and valves, abscesses, liver disease, pulmonary complications, and various types of pneumonia.
May cause depression of central nervous system, cloudy mental functioning, and slowed breathing to the point of respiratory failure.
Heroin overdose may cause slow and shallow breathing, convulsions, coma, and possibly death.
Users put themselves at risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other viruses.