Brief Description
Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin. Other common names for heroin include big H, horse, hell dust, and smack. Read the DrugFacts
Learn more:
- Research Report on Heroin
- Research Report on Prescription Opioids and Heroin
- Health Effects of Heroin
- Naloxone - a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose
Statistics and Trends
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Drug | Time Period | 8th Graders | 10th Graders | 12th Graders |
---|---|---|---|---|
Heroin | Lifetime | 0.70 | 0.40 | 0.70 |
Past Year | 0.30 | 0.20 | 0.40 | |
Past Month | 0.20 | 0.10 | 0.30 |
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Drug | Time Period | Ages 12 or Older | Ages 12 to 17 | Ages 18 to 25 | Ages 26 or Older |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heroin | Lifetime | 1.90 | 0.10 | 1.80 | 2.20 |
Past Year | 0.30 | 0.10 | 0.60 | 0.30 | |
Past Month | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.30 | 0.20 |
Related Videos
- NIDA TV Spotlight: Heroin in the Twin Cities (February 2014)
Related Resources
- Delaware Health Officials Issue Warning on Heroin Products
- HHS announces steps to address opioid related deaths and dependence
- America’s Addiction to Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse (Testimony to Congress, May 2014)
- Prescription Opioid and Heroin Abuse (Testimony to Congress, April 2014)
- Buprenorphine - treatment medication for heroin addiction (Archives)
Emerging Trends & Alerts
Get more information on Emerging Trends and Alerts, we will update this page with the latest research findings as they develop.
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Other Articles of Interest
Get Help
Find information about addiction and mental health services in your area. You can search by state or zip code online or call the number. (SAMHSA)
1-800-662-4357
1-800-487-4889 (TTY)