The Dangers of Smoking Heroin

Is it Safer to Smoke Heroin or is Smoking Heroin Dangerous?

No, smoking heroin is not safe. Heroin is a highly addictive opioid that is most often used for recreational purposes because of its high and euphoric effects. Although heroin is an illegal drug in the United States, it was estimated that in 2015, 948,000 Americans had used this drug in the past year, and this number has only been increasing since 2007.¹ Traditionally, heroin is injected into the body intravenously for an immediate high, but people will sometimes smoke or inhale this drug as well. Some people will simply combine heroin and marijuana and smoke the two together, whereas others may heat the powdered drug to create vapors that are then inhaled through a tube or similar apparatus.

If you suspect that your loved one is using drugs and you find this type of drug paraphernalia in their possession, you should look into getting them help now with our drug rehab in Pennsylvania as they could be in serious danger.

The Dangers of Smoking Heroin

Smoking heroin may be a way to avoid the diseases associate with sharing needles, but that certainly doesn’t mean that smoking this drug makes it harmless.

When heroin is smoked or sniffed, the effects of the drug on the body and the brain are simply delayed by ten to fifteen minutes. Contrary to what some people believe, smoking heroin instead of injecting it doesn’t make the drug any less addictive either.² Heavy users are likely to still become dependent on the drug and have to take higher doses to achieve the same high. Because heroin is a highly addictive drug, heroin addiction rehab will mostly likely be necessary to overcome this type of addiction.

While smoking the drug can decrease your chances of contracting a viral disease like HIV or hepatitis, it can also decrease the health of your lungs. Some people may experience respiratory problems like exasperated asthma and air being blocked from entering the lungs.³ Just like when it is injected, people can still overdose from smoking heroin as well. While marijuana is often thought of as a harmless drug, lacing it with heroin could lead to serious unforeseen side effects.

Is Smoking Heroin Addictive?

Smoking heroin doesn’t guarantee that you will avoid the dangers of heroin. Smoking heroin can be just as addictive as using the drug in other forms, as heroin hits the body’s reward systems differently when smoked. Whether you’re smoking or injecting heroin, the drug can be dangerous and even deadly and it is just as addictive when smoked versus injected.

Treating Heroin Addiction

The best way to avoid the dangers of heroin is to get and stay sober. If you are looking for heroin or prescription drug addiction treatment, you should get help immediately at our treatment centers in Pennsylvania. Even if you are experiencing suboxone withdrawal, we want to help. Do not let your addiction control your life any longer.

Please call us today at 570-536-9621 to learn more about our how Pennsylvania drug treatment programs can help you get your life back.

Sources

1. National Survey on Drug Use and Health – Results From the 2015 National Survey On Drug Use and Health: Detailed Tables
2. National Institute on Drug Abuse – What is the scope of heroin use in the United States?
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse – Health Consequences of Drug Misuse