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