Brief Description: An addictive drug that is processed from morphine and usually appears as a white or brown powder.
Street Names: Smack, H, ska, junk, thunder, big h, crop and many others.
Effects: Short-term effects include a surge of euphoria followed by alternately wakeful and drowsy states and cloudy mental functioning. Associated with fatal overdose, and particularly in users who inject the drug-infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Long-term users may develop collapsed veins, liver disease, and lung complications.
Statistics and Trends: 1% of Canadians report using heroin.
