Drug Education Parent Booklet

For more information see positivechoices.org.au Drugs & Alcohol: What You Need to Know 23 IMMEDIATE LONG TERM ● Small (‘pinned’) pupils ● Drowsiness and sedation (a state of calm or sleep) ● Pain relief ● Feeling of euphoria (a ‘high’) ● Feelings of detachment ● Nausea and vomiting ● Overdose ● Coma ● Dependence* ● Dental problems ● Constipation ● If injected there is an increased risk of infections like Hepatitis C and HIV ● Infertility HEROIN IS A HIGHLY ADDICTIVE DRUG, IN PART DUE TO THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS THAT HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE STOP USING IT. WHAT IS IT? Heroin is one of a group of drugs known as opiates, so-called because they are natural products of the opium poppy – these also include opium, morphine, and codeine. In Australia, heroin can be a fine powder, granules, or rocks, and is normally white or off-white in colour although it is sometimes brown. It is normally injected, but is also snorted, smoked, or heated and the vapours inhaled (chasing the dragon). It can be sold ‘cut’ (mixed) with a range of substances that can also be harmful. This makes it hard for the person using the drug to know the purity of what’s being taken. Heroin is also known as hammer, gear, or smack. EFFECTS OF HEROIN Heroin produces a ‘rush’ within seconds of injecting or smoking it, or up to about 5 minutes if it’s snorted. The effects of heroin can last for approximately 3-5 hours. Effects of heroin vary, but may include: * See Glossary on page 36 HEROIN