Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin. Learn about the health effects of heroin and read the DrugFacts.
Common Names
Big H, Horse, Hell Dust, Smack
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Use the SAMHSA Treatment Locator or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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Related Resources
- NIDA for Teens Drug Facts on Heroin - Offers resources for teens and teen influencers. Get the latest on how drugs affect the brain and body. Featuring videos, games, blog posts and more!
- Easy-to-Read Drug Facts on Heroin (Smack, Junk) - Has pictures and videos to help readers understand the text. The website also can read each page out loud.
- America’s Addiction to Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse (Testimony to Congress, May 2014)
- Prescription Opioid and Heroin Abuse (Testimony to Congress, April 2014)
- Buprenorphine - treatment medication for heroin addiction (Archives)
- NIH Director’s Blog on Heroin
- HHS announces steps to address opioid related deaths and dependence
Other Resources
- MEDLINEplus Health Information on Drug Abuse (National Library of Medicine, NIH)
- Healthfinder.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services)
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are research studies in human volunteers conducted to answer specific health questions. Learn about the NIH-sponsored clinical trials available to you.
- NIDA Clinical Trial Locator - answer a few simple questions and get contact information for Clinical Trials near you.