Smoking heroin

Smoking heroin delivers the opiate from the lungs to the arteries. Then, it travel through the bloodstream and goes directly to the user’s brain. Read more about effects of smoking heroin and how it affects the brain. More here

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Smoking heroin causes addiction

Smoking heroin affects both the brain and body. People who smoke heroin experience feelings of intense euphoria and high. It’s usually these feelings that make them chase the drug, becoming addicted within a few days-weeks-months of use.

In fact, the consequences of smoking heroin can be devastating to your health. Are you eager to know exactly how smoking heroin affects your brain? What are the risk and side effects of smoking heroin? We explain more here, and invite you to post any questions in the comments section at the end of the page. We try to respond to real life questions personally and promptly.

What does smoking heroin do to you?

Smoking heroin involves vaporizing the drug, inhaling the fumes (without burning it), and breathing in the actual smoke. Smoking heroin delivers the opiate from the lungs to the arteries. Then, it travel through the bloodstream and goes directly to the user’s brain.

One of the most popular ways of using the drug , smoking dope is known as “chasing the dragon”. Still, injecting and snorting heroin are other equally addictive modes of administration. Why do people smoke heroin?

Many first time users begin by snorting or smoking heroin because they wish to avoid the social stigma attached to injecting drugs. They often believe that smoking heroin won’t lead them to addiction. People also take heroin via smoke because it makes the drug less detectable in the blood without affecting drug onset. In fact, a recent experiment showed that smoking heroin enables individuals to obtain similar pharmacological effects to those produced by intravenous administration of heroin.*

Does smoking heroin work or get you high?

Yes. Smoking heroin can get you high.

When smoked, heroin works in the body and brain by attaching to opiate receptors. Then, it creates a massive surge of dopamine. This gives the user an intense feeling of euphoria and high. People who take heroin can feel as if nothing can stop them; they experience a sense of power and increased self-esteem. Smoking heroin also results in pain relief, as the opiate changes the way the brain perceives pain.

However, heroin users who continue to use this drug are constantly chasing that high with every following dose. And as tolerance increases, people tend to increase the amount of heroin they use. This is when a dangerous situation arises. With higher doses or increased frequency of use, risk of heroin overdose increases.

Is smoking heroin bad for you?

Yes.

Smoking heroin is extremely bad for you. Heroin is a dangerous drug, regardless of the route of administration. Heroin has devastating effects on your health and life. Smoking heroin damages your lungs and causes respiratory problems such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Heroin affects all organs of the body, including the heart, kidney and liver. According to many studies, smoking heroin can also cause brain damage.

Smoking heroin side effects

As a user continues to take heroin, pleasurable effects become overshadowed by a number of undesired side effects. Smoking heroin side effects occur due to the body’s adaptation to the drug. Heroin smokers may experience numerous side effects, including the following:

  • bluish lips hands and feet
  • confusion
  • dilated pupils
  • dry mouth
  • itchy skin
  • light sensitivity
  • low body temperature
  • nausea and vomiting
  • slowed respiration and heart rate

ATTENTION: Heroin overdose triggers serious consequences to body and the vital organs. If you suspect a heroin overdose, CALL 911 or seek emergency help immediately.

Smoking heroin on tin foil

Heroin is often smoked from glass pipes or it can be smoked off a sheet of aluminium foil. The logic behind smoking heroin on tin foil is that aluminium is a surface with low-heat capacity. In this way, a flame can be applied to the foil from below. The idea is to heat the heroin until it starts to boil. This vapor is then inhaled with the help of a tube.

Smoking heroin with weed

Combining cannabis and heroin is also known as “lacing”. It is unlikely that a person who smokes heroin would roll a joint and sprinkle it with heroin. Instead, lacing is most commonly done by marijuana dealers. Why? They want to sell cannabis with a lower THC level. Or, dealers aim to get customers hooked on something more than just weed, in order to maximize profitability.

When combined, heroin and marijuana have complimentary effects. This means that the depressant effects of the drug are multiplied. In order to prevent yourself from using laced marijuana, you must laboratory test your drug before using it. This is considered the only way to be 100% sure of what you are buying and using. It can also help to look and smell the drug before you buy it.

Can you smoke heroin?

People make the decision to smoke heroin.

Smoking and sniffing heroin don’t produce feelings of euphoric rush as quickly or as intensely as intravenous injection. But, regardless of the route of administration, heroin is highly addictive. Be aware that there is no safe way to take heroin. However you take it, heroin can ruin your life.

In fact, smoking heroin is one of the three main routes of administration. The other two ways of taking heroin is by injecting it or by snorting it. Injecting heroin is considered to be the most powerful, effective route of administration. But while heroin travels immediately from the veins to the brain of the user, injecting heroin leads directly to overdose and death.

Smoking heroin questions

Still have questions about smoking heroin? Please leave your questions here. We do our best to respond to all legitimate inquiries with a personal response ASAP.

Reference sources: NCBI: Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of smoked heroin
Justice: Heroin Fast Facts
NIH: Heroin
Stevens, A. (2013) Understanding Addiction to Heroin: Mary Pomerantz Advertising
* In an experiment done to explore how smoking heroin affects users, two volunteers in controlled clinical conditions were connected to a computer-assisted smoking device. The device delivered single puffs of heroin vapor to the human subjects. The Resuts? Heroin appeared rapidly in blood after administration and peaked five minutes after smoking. Physical manifestations of heroin use were also observed, and the effects showed dilated pupils followed by hysteresis.
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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