Opioids
Heroin
Street names: Dope, H, Smack, Sugar brown, Brown, Junk
Overdose? Act now. Call emergency services — say "unresponsive, not breathing". Give naloxone for opioid-like signs. Hotlines
⚡What it does
- Rapid intense euphoria ('rush')
- Warmth, heavy limbs
- Pain relief, drowsiness ('nodding')
⚠Key risks
- Extremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks
- Overdose: breathing slows or stops
- Unknown strength + fentanyl contamination
✚Overdose signs
- Unresponsive, pinpoint pupils
- Breathing <8/min or gurgling
- Blue/gray lips and fingernails
Category comparison — Opioids
| Substance | Class | Top risks | Street price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heroin | Schedule I | Extremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks; Overdose: breathing slows or stops | ~$10–$40 per bag |
| Fentanyl | Schedule II | Respiratory depression; Addiction in days | ~$20–$40 per counterfeit pill |
| Fentanyl HCl (powder) | Schedule II / analogue prosecutions | Lab-purity powder is far stronger than street mixes; Weighing errors are fatal | ~$60–$120/gram wholesale equivalent |
| Acetylfentanyl | Schedule I | ~5–15× weaker than fentanyl but still deadly at gram-level mistakes; Frequent cause of cluster overdoses | ~$25–$60/g where found |
| Furanylfentanyl (Fu-F) | Schedule I | Linked to hundreds of fatal overdoses 2016–2018; Potency similar to fentanyl | ~$20–$50/g |
| Methoxyacetylfentanyl | Schedule I | Potency comparable to or exceeding fentanyl; Tiny dosing errors fatal | Rare |
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly.
?Frequently asked questions
What does Heroin look like?
White/off-white powder (US) or brown base powder ('sugar brown'); black tar (Mexico)
What are the signs of a Heroin overdose?
Unresponsive, pinpoint pupils; Breathing <8/min or gurgling; Blue/gray lips and fingernails Call emergency services immediately and give naloxone if available — it reverses opioid overdoses.
How addictive is it?
Extremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks Dependence can develop with regular use.
🔗Sources & further reading
Facts on this page are compiled from these primary sources. External links open in a new tab.