Heroin and Fentanyl (Synthetic Opioid)
Heroin is also called
brown
gear
horse
skag
smack
Misperceptions & Facts
pure heroin is safer because unlike less pure forms it is not injected
Effects of Heroin
Fentanyl
cons
easier to access because it's used as a medicine (in small doses)
pros
Vomiting
can be added to heroin or other drugs
doesn't typically cause hallucinations
how long after do we get effects?
how its used
injected
snorted
smoked
the heroin effects can be felt not long after (minutes) after snorted/inhaled/drank/smoked
feel sick
dry mouth
heart rate and breathing slow down
euphoria
warmth
Drowsy
dreaming
lasts around 4-6 hours
similar to morphine
but 50 to 100 times more powerful
it is illegal to make and consume fentanyl (outside of prescribed medication)
heroin is not accepted in medicinal purposes
it is sometimes used to treat pain with patients who otherwise need a higher amount of opioids because of their tolerance
it's prescription form can be known as
Actiq®
Duragesic®
Sublimaze®
how is fentanyl taken
legally (prescribed by a doctor)
shot
patch
cough drop like pills
illegally
powder
eye droppers
nasal sprays
pills
to cost more because fentanyl by itself is quite cheap (due to it's low cost to produce)
to enhance hallucinations or dreaming
how do people get addicted
similar to morphine and painkillers: it diminishes pain receptors
when the brain adapts to the drug it makes the sensitivity to it higher, making the brain need more to feel the pleasure
effects
extreme happiness and euphoria
drowsiness
nausea
confusion
constipation
problem breathing
unconciousness
sentence
first offence is a minimum of one year in prison or/and a minimum fine of $1000
sentence is if you possess, manufacture, buy or distribute
second offence: two years in prison or/and a minimum fine of $2500
trafficking between 100 to 999 grams of heroin mixture can be sentenced 5 to 40 years of prison