Heroin has claimed the lives of millions of people since it became a mainstream street drug in the United States. Heroin alone has not been the only killer. The sharing and reusing of needles has long been a way for diseases to spread among users, costing millions more of their lives. So many people hear about heroin being so dangerous, but why is heroin so dangerous? The chemical affects the heroin causes make it extremely addictive and dangerous even after just a few uses. Learn more about this dangerous drug and heroin addiction treatment here.

Why Is Heroin So Dangerous?

The drug has never been trustworthy in terms of its purity. For decades, heroin has been cut with other drugs to create a lethal combination. For example, heroin can be combined with methamphetamine, called a goofball, or cocaine, called a speedball. Heroin, a central nervous system depressant, causes one range of side effects while drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, central nervous system stimulants, cause another. Combining the two can have devastating effects and confuse the system until it shuts down. Today, heroin has a new layer of threat added to it. Heroin is most commonly being found with trace amounts of fentanyl, a synthetic opioids. This is just another reason why heroin is so dangerous.

Most opioids, including prescription painkillers, are morphine-based. Morphine is the byproduct of heroin in the bloodstream. It can be made through a single refining process from the resin of the poppy plant seed pod. Heroin, is the product after another refining process. Fentanyl is primarily for people whose bodies do not metabolize morphine naturally. Since opioid pain medication is a leading pain management tool, fentanyl is used to make sure patients in need of pain relief are able to get it effectively. Fentanyl has to be strong. Legal fentanyl comes in a pill or a patch and can deliver a potency of opioid pain relief that is up to one hundred times stronger than heroin purchased on the street.

Dangers of Fentanyl

Illegal fentanyl can be stronger and more deadly. Clear in color, absent of smell, and almost undetectable, there is no way for heroin users to know if there is a dose of fentanyl in their heroin. Injecting the drug causes an immediate overdose for most users, which has contributed to the rise in opioid overdose fatalities. Heroin is a powerful drug. When used intravenously, heroin rushes through the bloodstream, slowing down the nervous system at a more rapid rate. If heroin is strong and used in a high dosage, the central nervous system can become so depressed that a user starts dying. Their breathing slows to dangerously low rates in what medical professionals call respiratory depression. Somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness, they lose their ability to ask for help or recognize what is going on within their body. Slowly, their body shuts down, and their heart stops beating.

Get Heroin Addiction Help From Oceanfront Recovery

Why is heroin so dangerous? Heroin addiction is not something that people should ignore. Heroin is extremely dangerous, even in small doses. Oceanfront Recovery understands that treating a heroin addiction takes time. In addition to heroin addiction treatment, we offer a variety of different substance abuse programs to help overcome different addictions. Some of these programs include:

Heroin addiction is extremely dangerous. If you or a loved one are experiencing problems with heroin or opioid abuse the time is now to call for help. Oceanfront Recovery is a treatment facility offering a full spectrum of residential treatment programs. For information on how we can help you change your story of addiction, call us today at 877.296.7477.