Heroin FAQ

Heroin, a highly addictive opiate drug, is growing quickly in popularity in the United States. Heroin is the fastest acting of the opiate drugs and has the propensity to change the chemical structure of your brain in just one use. It is sold in either a white powder or a light brown powder. Another form of heroin known as black tar is a dark, sticky substance.

More Heroin FAQ Articles

The issue of most concern is that rarely do users know the strength or purity of the heroin they are purchasing. While pure heroin is what most addicts strive to buy, most often it is cut with other additives that include everything from powdered milk and starch to poisons such as quinine or strychnine, to name only a few. Since most users do not know the strength of the heroin they are using, it puts them in even greater danger of overdosing. Other, more obvious dangers, come from sharing needles used to inject the heroin.

Morphine is a natural substance derived from the seedpods of Asian poppy plants. It can be noted that even eating baked goods with poppy seeds will result in a failed drug test, although they are not harmful in this state. Street names for heroin include "brown sugar," "bindle" (a small packet of heroin), "smak," and other names referring to the region it is from such as "Mexican black tar."

Meditox is a program developed for people addicted to opiate drugs. It is a safe, home-based drug treatment program developed by experts to help addicts detox safely and successfully while protecting their privacy. Our drug detox program guides participants through a program that enlists the aid of doctors and nurses who understand that each person facing opiate addiction is battling through his or her own unique situation. Each person’s specific needs are addressed throughout the treatment process of the Meditox Method.

How is Heroin Used?

A decade ago the favored method of ingesting heroin was through intravenous injection. This provides the rush often talked about among users since its effects can be felt in less than 10 seconds. Intramuscular injection has also been popular in the past, providing a slower onset of exhilaration that peaks in 10-15 minutes. Smoking or sniffing heroin doesn’t produce the intense rush that shooting, or injecting, heroin does but has still proven to be just as addictive as the other methods of using heroin.

A study has shown that a slow shift is taking place concerning the method of using heroin to get high. While injecting heroin is still a popular form of use, users seeking treatment in Newark, New Jersey, Chicago, Illinois, and New York are proving that smoking and snorting is quickly becoming the most widely used method of getting high with this particular opiate.

Who Uses Heroin?

A recent report by the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse reported that more than 3 million people in the United States have tried heroin at least once. Of those listed in the survey, just under 100,000 were between the ages of 12 to 17. More than 450,000 between the ages of 18 to 25, with the majority of users being over the age of 30. Heroin users come from all social backgrounds, neighborhoods and areas of the country. From nurses to troubled teens, this problem seems to have no barriers.

Meditox understands the complexity of this problem and is equipped to help people from all walks of life. They strive to maintain the dignity of professionals, homemakers and students by respecting their need for privacy while fighting this battle. Their methods of detoxification have proven effective for thousands.

What is Heroin Overdose?

Heroin overdose is rarely the immediate death caused from too large a dose of pure heroin, as is often portrayed on television. The process can be painstakingly slow, occurring over the course of a few hours as opposed to a few minutes. Symptoms include slowed, shallow breathing, discoloration of the tongue or lips and drowsiness. If these symptoms are noticed in time there is a greater chance of recovery if help is sought.

What is Heroin Withdrawal?

Heroin withdrawal can be experienced within six to eight hours of the last dose taken and peak in the third to fourth day. The peak of symptoms by no means is an end to withdrawal, as it sometimes lingers for weeks on end. Heroin withdrawal symptoms mimic a severe case of the flu and include runny nose, tremors, chills, stomach cramps, vomiting, and panic.

How Does Meditox Treat Heroin Addiction?

Meditox offers addicts help without the expense, exposure and inconvenience of hospitals and drug rehab facilities. Treatment begins with a simple phone call to see if Meditox is right for you or your loved one. Once this has been assessed, the person receiving treatment will go to one appointment that lasts between two to three hours in order to receive a thorough medical exam by a certified psychiatrist and substance abuse specialist. A medical professional will then go over the Meditox Method in detail, providing suggestions and advice that will help ensure a successful recovery. It is through this initial meeting that a plan is tailor made to suit your unique situation. Call Meditox today and get started.

If you feel that Meditox might be the right solution for you or your loved one, please call us for a toll-free and private consultation:

All Detox Programs

"Today is week #5! I have my life back, this morning my husband told me he hadn't seen me like this in three years! My daughter told me "your back Mom"! My Fybromyalgia is down to 2 to 3 percent of what it was, I am fully able to live with the Joy and Love and Laughter which has always been my way."

Mother, Real Estate Agent, 49
August 11, 2006

More Success Stories