Street+youth+and+Heroin

HEROIN
====**Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug that is classified in the opioid family of drugs. Heroin is a "semi-synthetic" opioid; it is made from morphine that has been chemically processed, giving it a stronger and more immediate effect. Heroin is converted back into morphine in the brain. Heroin is known on the streets as: Big H, Blacktar, Brown sugar, Dope, Horse, Junk, Mud, Skag, and Smack.**====

**The most common ways of using heroin are:**

 * ====**injection - either into a vein ("mainlining," intravenous or I.V. use), into a muscle (intramuscular or I.M. use) or under the skin ("skin-popping" or subcutaneous use)**====
 * ====**snorting - inhaling the powder through the nostril (also called sniffing)**====
 * ====**inhaling or smoking - this method is also referred to as "chasing the dragon," and involves gently heating the heroin on aluminum foil and inhaling the smoke and vapors through a tube. (CAMH, 2008)**====

**HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH HEROIN USE**
====**Overdose is the most immediate danger of heroin use. Heroin depresses the part of the brain that controls breathing.** **Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulites, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin's depressing effects on respiration. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not really dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs. With regular heroin use, tolerance develops. This means the abuser must use more heroin to achieve the same intensity or effect.** **(****Partnership for a Drug-Free America, 2009)**====

STREET YOUTH AND HEROIN
====**The Public Health Agency of Canada conducted a long term study of street youth and drug use. The findings of this study have been published in a report named Enhanced Surveillance of Canadian Street Youth, 1999–2003 (E-SYS). The results show that about 20% of street youth reported ever using injection drugs (20.8% in 1999, 18.4% in 2001 and 22.3% in 2003.)**==== ====**Although cocaine is not the most widely injected drug heroin is not far behind, the E-SYS report states that Heroin is the third most commonly injected drug.They also state that 31 % of injection drug users reported borrowing equipment from a friend.**====

**(Public Health of Canada, 2006)**
====**Unlike cocaine, heroin does not appear to currently be a significant drug of choice among street youth. It was not mentioned in the March, 2004 Youthlink survey of drug use among street youth. It is interesting to note, however, that methadone, an opiate frequently prescribed as a replacement for heroin, was sited by 11% of respondents. More frequent use of heroin was noted by the respondents to the 1999 SHOUT street youth survey. In total, 11% of these youth reported using heroin at least once monthly. (Drug Use in Toronto 2004****)**====




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