Heroin and opiates

drug-info-heroin
Monday, August 31, 2009

Heroin is in the opiate group of drugs. It is a highly addicitve drug and there is significant risk of overdose. The prevalance of heroin in New Zealand is relatively low. It is estimated that heroin costs $1000 per gram in New Zealand, significantly more expensive than other countries.

  1. What it is

    Heroin is in the opiate group of drugs. Opiates come from the sticky resin from the opium poppy seedpod. Other opiates include opium, morphine, methadone, codeine and pethidine.

  2. Health effects

    Short-term effects
    Under medical supervision, the short-term use of opiates do not produce significant health problems, and many people are prescribed opiates such as pethidine for a few days following an operation.

  3. Dependence, addiction and overdose risk

    Using large doses of heroin and other opiates can lead to death. This can be because the user has used too much heroin or a particularly strong or pure batch.

  4. Law and penalities

    Heroin is classified in the Class A schedule of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, attracting a maximum term of life imprisonment for importing, manufacturing and/or supplying. Possession carries a six month imprisonment term and/or $1000 fine.

  5. Drug trends

    Opiates are used by a relatively small proportion New Zealanders. Recent surveys do not indicate significant fluctuations in the rate of opiate use.

  6. Reducing the harm

    The Drug Foundation’s message is clear: no drug use is the safest drug use. But we realise there will be occasions when people ignore warnings and use drugs. In order to limit the harm from their drug use, we provide information about effective methods of drug harm minimisation. Such information directly benefits the person using drugs, and also protects the wider community.

  7. How to get help

    There are a number of treatment organisations that can help. If you feel that you or anyone you know needs help, then you can call these services in strict confidence.

  8. Links

    www.needle.co.nz Information on needle exchange programmes around New Zealand.

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