The Power of Addiction

Heroin is notorious for the devastation it wreaks on an addict's health and life. The drug itself, however, does not directly cause most of the long-term medical problems associated with heroin use. It is actually the risks and self-neglect associated with an addict's lifestyle that bring about long-term health damage.

For example, the practice of “backtracking,” or withdrawing a small amount of blood into a syringe to ensure a good connection, contaminates the syringe with any diseases in the blood. Anybody else who uses the same syringe could be exposed to HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, or one of many other diseases.

“Cooking” heroin is generally not a sterile process either, and contaminants from the drug or the paraphernalia can irritate veins. If a drug user takes the drug with a piece of cotton cloth, he or she may inadvertently inject tiny fragments of cotton along with the drug, causing the flulike “cotton fever” from an immune reaction. Repeated injection in the same veins often leads to irritation, called phlebitis, and the user then must inject other sites. Fragments of undissolved heroin and other contaminants can cause permanent damage to blood vessels and other parts of the body.

Although mainlining is the most dangerous method of use, anybody who tries heroin will be exposed to additives used to “cut” heroin, or dilute its purity. There's no way of knowing the exact composition of a dose of heroin—it might contain sugar, talcum powder, quinine, other drugs such as caffeine or amphetamine, or even poisonous substances such as strychnine. The additives used to cut heroin can be toxic or, in some people, provoke an allergic reaction. They may cause respiratory illness if snorted.

As the heroin habit takes over an addict's life, he or she may begin to neglect hygiene, nutrition, and exercise. Addicts may lose weight, develop a weakened immune system, and take dangerous risks in order to satisfy their drug habit. Their desperation and impaired judgment can lead to disastrous results. Heroin addicts can alienate their friends and relatives, lose their jobs and homes, and face the legal repercussions of their actions. The broader consequences of heroin use affect families, communities, the legal system, and society in general.