Quick info
Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is a semisynthetic substance and is obtained from the raw opium of the opium poppy. Heroin belongs to the group of opioids.
Pain-relieving, balancing, calming, anxiety-relieving and euphoric. The euphoric "flash" at the beginning is followed by a state of well-being and a feeling of indifference, serenity, light-heartedness and self-satisfaction.
The dose depends on the individual tolerance to heroin. The lethal dose in non-tolerant people is about 60 mg.
Appearances
white, cream, gray or brownish powder.
Onset of action
Injected and smoked: after a few seconds
Snuffed: after a few minutes
Duration of action
2 - 5 hours, depending on the dose and quality
Slowing of breathing, nausea, vomiting, itching, drop in blood pressure, pulse slowing, pupil constriction and urinary retention may occur.
Other side effects of regular use of heroin: confusion, disorientation, memory lapses, slurred and garbled speech as well as coordination disorders, extreme constipation, reduction of sexual desire and a potentially life-threatening reduction of the breathing rate to 2 to 4 breaths per minute (due to the attenuation of the coughing and breathing centre).
High doses of heroin can be fatal if medical help is not sought immediately!
Long-term risks:
The risk of dependence with psychological and physical symptoms is great. As soon as a tolerance has developed and the body is not supplied with the necessary amount of substance, physical withdrawal symptoms occur 8 to 12 hours after the last heroin intake. Withdrawal symptoms are sweating and chills, running eyes and nose, vomiting, diarrhoea, restlessness, irritability, weakness, anxiety, depressive states, painful cramps, insomnia and, less frequently, hallucinations, psychotic phases and seizures.
Specific risks by form of consumption:
Sniffing: damage to nasal septums and mucous membranes. Risk of hepatitis C infection
Smoking: damage to bronchial tubes and lungs (lungs become gummed up with daily use).
Injections: Venous inflammation and risk of infectious diseases (hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS, fungus). Organ damage can occur due to the impurities in heroin.
Methadone:
The drug methadone is a synthetic opioid and is used as a substitute for heroin addiction. For users who are not used to opiates, the consumption of methadone even in small quantities can be life-threatening (severe respiratory depression, danger of suffocation).
Start with a low dose and wait for the effect and tolerance before adding more.
After a period of abstinence, use a much lower dose! The usual dose before the abstinence phase can otherwise quickly have life-threatening consequences.
If you inject opioids, dose even more carefully, as the range between desired effect (rush) and dangerous overdose is even more difficult to assess. Avoid injecting opioids; the risk of overdose is particularly high. Always use new (clean and sterile) injection material! Never exchange syringes, filters, water, disinfection swabs to avoid transmission of hepatitis and HIV.
Do not rely on dosage information from colleagues who regularly use opioids. Due to habituation or dependence, their doses are significantly higher and can be fatal for new users.
Take longer breaks (at least several days) between consumption.
Refrain from citrus fruits (especially grapefruit) before or during consumption. The combination can lead to an increase in the effect of the opioid and/or respiratory depression.
The simultaneous consumption of depressant substances such as alcohol, ketamine, GHB/GBL, nitrous oxide, benzodiazepines and/or other opioids is dangerous as there is an increased risk of vomiting and unconsciousness. The risk of suffocation is high!
The combination with methoxetamine (MXE, Metha-Keta) increases the opioid effect.
Mixing opioids with DXM is generally not recommended - there is an increased risk of central nervous system disorders as well as heart and respiratory problems. In addition, DXM lowers the individual opioid tolerance, which is why the risk of overdose increases considerably.
The mixed use of opioids with stimulants (such as cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine) puts extreme strain on the body and the cardiovascular system. The effects can overlap each other, so that they are subjectively felt to be weaker. If the effect of the stimulants wears off before the opioids, there is a risk of delayed overdose up to respiratory depression.
LSD analogues are substances that are chemically very similar to LSD and can have comparable effects. Some of them have been known for a long time (e.g. ALD52, ETH-LAD, AL-LAD, PRO-LAD etc.) and have been studied pharmacologically as well as psychopharmacologically, at least in part. Others are newer "creations" (e.g. the derivatives 1P-LSD,1B-LSD, 1cP-LSD, 1V-LSDetc.), for which only few or no data are available. Certain LSD analogues can (still) be legally produced, traded and consumed in some countries, which is the main reason for their distribution.
Most LSD analogues are naturally different from LSD in their effect and/or potency (e.g. ETH-LAD, AL-LAD, LSZ etc.). In contrast, the so-called 1-acylated LSD compounds (e.g. 1P-LSD, 1V-LSD, 1B-LSD, ALD-52, etc.) are presumed, on the basis of pharmacological studies, to convert into LSD in the body (they function as so-called prodrugs) and thus have a comparable psychoactive effect to LSD.
In the case of prodrugs of LSD and LSD analogues, it has not been conclusively clarified whether, in addition to their psychoactive effect, they can produce other pharmacological effects. How potent these prodrugs are compared to the resulting substance (e.g., 1P-LSD to LSD), and to what extent a delay in onset of action occurs in each case, may be substance-dependent and cannot be generalized. Therefore, it is important to approach the dose/effect carefully to avoid overdoses.
If you or someone else needs urgent help after taking drugs or alcohol, call an ambulance on 144. Tell the emergency responders everything you know.
It could save lives.