Heroin

WHAT IS HEROIN?

Heroin is an illegal substance that is extracted from the opium poppy. It is in the same family of drugs as the opiate painkillers.

OTHER NAMES:

Smack, skag, H, dope, junk, hammer, slow, gear, Harry, big Harry, horse, black tar, china white, Chinese H, white dynamite, dragon, elephant, homebake, poison.

UNDERSTANDING:

Heroin can range from a fine, white powder to off-white granules or pieces of brown rock. It is odourless with a bitter taste. Other things to look out for are injecting paraphernalia such as tourniquets, alcohol swabs, fine orange capped needles, and spoons bent so that they sit flat on a level surface.

HOW TO SUPPORT A YOUNG PERSON:

A young person affected by heroin will typically appear sleepy, with slowed movements and poor coordination or be ‘on the nod’. They may also appear to be itchy, scratching their arms and body. Eyes will appear glassy with pupils smaller than usual. In the instance of an overdose, a young person will be unresponsive (sleeping but not wakeable) with bluish lips and slowed breathing. In this instance, ‘000’ should be called immediately.

If a young person has ever been dependent on heroin (uses the drug every day and gets sick when they don’t use), gone to treatment and returned to school, there is a chance they may still be on medication to manage their dependency. Pharmacotherapy (also known as Methadone or Buprenorphine, Suboxone) is a daily medication that keeps withdrawal symptoms and cravings at bay. This medication – like some ADHD medications – needs to be stored securely. The prescribing Doctor and Pharmacist should be contacted early in the School Camp planning process to arrange a way for this to be done.

For a more comprehensive guide we recommend the ADF’s fact sheet.