Long And Short Term Effects Of Heroin On The Street

Drug addictions is one of the most destructible things a person can do to themselves. Illicit drugs are becoming more popular on the streets and are taking more lives every single day. One very popular drug on the street is heroin. Many people who used heroin started off using marijuana or prescription drugs and switched for a stronger drug. They are unaware of the health risks of this dangerous drug. Heroin is a drug made from poppy plants and is a thick powder. It is highly addictive and used by millions today. Heroin can be taken by injection, smoking, or snorting. It is most commonly injected because people get a rush the fastest when it goes straight to the blood. Heroin doesn’t dissolve easily so people have to use a spoon with heroin and water and heat it before they inject it. If they choose to smoke it, they have to use a method called ‘chasing the dragon’ where they heat up the powder on tin foil, then inhale it through a small tube. No matter which way a person chooses to ingest heroin, they are all very dangerous and can lead to both short term and long term effects. …show more content…
Some of the short term effects of heroin include a rush, slowed breathing, clouded mental functions, vomiting, drowsiness, hypothermia or lower body temperature, and coma or death because of an overdose. The long term effects of heroin get worse including bad teeth, inflammation of gums, constipation, cold sweats, itching, weak immune system, coma, respiratory illness, muscular weakness, reduced sexual capacity in men, irregular menstrual cycle for women, inability to get an orgasam for both men and women, memory loss and intellectual performance, introversion, depression, pustules on the face, loss of appetite, insomnia, and HIV from sharing needles.With a list of disgusting effects a mile long, this shows how