HEROIN

WHAT WE KNOW

Heroin negatively affects how your brain works and how your body functions.

• Heroin enters the brain quickly and slows down your thought process, your reaction time, and your memory. It affects the way you act and clouds your judgment.
• Heroin especially affects those regions of the brain responsible for producing physical dependence.
• Heroin enters the cells of the brain and changes the speed of the chemicals in the brain. It not only affects the brain physically, but also affects the way you think.
• Heroin users who share needles are at high risk of contracting hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and other diseases.

There is no safe way to use heroin. It’s a myth that heroin is less dangerous if you’re snorting or smoking it instead of injecting it. Heroin can be fatal no matter how you use it, and you can become addicted to any form.

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