THE TRUTH ABOUT HEROIN

EDITOR'S NOTE - The following story was submitted by Norwalk City
Schools. The same information is sent home with students.

Slang Smack, Horse, Mud, Brown Sugar, Junk, Black Tar, Big H, Dope, Skag

Heroin affects your brain. Heroin enters the brain quickly. It slows
down the way you think, slows down reaction time, and slows down
memory. This affects the way you act and make decisions.

Heroin affects your body. Heroin poses special problems for those who
inject it because of the risks of HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other
diseases that can occur from sharing needles. These health problems
can be passed on to sexual partners and newborns.

Heroin is super-addictive. Heroin is highly addictive because it
enters the brain so rapidly. It particularly affects those regions of
the brain responsible for producing physical dependence.

Heroin is not what it may seem. Despite the glamorization of "heroin"
chic in films, fashion, and music, heroin use can have tragic
consequences that extend far beyond its users. Fetal effects,
HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, violence, and crime are all linked to its use.

Heroin can kill you. Heroin is one of the top two frequently reported
drugs by medical examiners in drug abuse deaths.

Know the law. Heroin is an illegal Schedule I drug, meaning that it is
in the group of the most highly addictive drugs.

Get the facts. Any method of heroin usesnorting, smoking, swallowing,
or injecting the drug can cause immediate harm and lead to addiction.

Stay informed. The untimely deaths of several popular musicians and
other celebrities may have influenced many young people to stay away
from heroin use, but to others, the dangers are still not clear. The
average age of first use was 23.3 in 2001.

Know the risks. Because the strength of heroin varies and its impact
is more unpredictable when used with alcohol or other drugs, the user
never knows what might happen with the next dose.

Look around you. The vast majority of teens are not using heroin.
According to a 2002 national study, less than 1 percent report ever
having tried it.4

How can you tell if a friend is using heroin? Signs and symptoms of
heroin use are:

Euphoria, drowsiness, impaired mental functioning, slowed down
respiration, constricted pupils and nausea.

Signs of a heroin overdose include: Shallow breathing, pinpoint
pupils, clammy skin, convulsions and coma.

What can you do to help a friend who is using heroin? Be a real
friend. You might even save a life. Encourage your friend to stop or
seek professional help. For information and referrals, call the
National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at (800) 729-6686.

Q. Isn't heroin a less dangerous drug if you snort or smoke it instead
of injecting it?

A. No. Heroin is heroin. There is no safe way of ingesting it. You can
still die from an overdose or become addicted by snorting or smoking
it.

Q. Can withdrawal from heroin kill you?

A. Although it is seldom fatal, withdrawal from heroin produces drug
cravings, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea,
vomiting, and other symptoms that usually last about a week, but may
last for many months.

Q. Will heroin use alter my brain?

A. Yes. Heroin enters the neurons or cells of the brain and changes
the speed of the chemicals in the brain. It not only affects your
brain physically, but also affects the way you think.