Skip Navigation

Heroin

This powerful drug is highly addictive and dangerous no matter how pure it is or how it’s used.

Go to next section

What is heroin?

Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine that is injected, smoked, or snorted to produce a “rush.” It is highly addictive and poses many health risks.

Heroin use also has repercussions that extend far beyond the individual user. The medical and social consequences of drug use—such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, fetal effects, crime, violence, and disruptions in family, workplace, and educational environments—have a devastating impact on society and cost billions of dollars each year.

Source: NIDA