 |
|
Heroin works on the central
nervous system. The heartbeat slows. The breathing is dramatically
slowed. Consciousness may be lost. Any of these effects can be fatal
if the dose is too high.
Depending on purity and the user,
a lethal dose of heroin may range from 200 to 500mg, but hardened
addicts have survived doses of 1800mg and over.
However, with street heroin there is no absolutely certain
"safe dosage". It depends on tolerance, amount and purity taken.
tolerance
Overdose can occur when a dose taken is greater than that you're
used to. A tolerable dose for an addict could be fatal to a first-time
user.
Take a little to begin with and wait.
Tolerance to heroin in particular is quickly acquired. Even occasional
weekend users need to take more to get the same effect over time.
Remember - tolerance can drop. Some users have
overdosed on their 'regular dose', after just a few week's break.
 top
purity
Making and selling illegal drugs is not a precise science. Often
drugs from the same dealer and batch have varying strengths. The
active ingredient need not necessarily be evenly mixed in. If it's
a powder, chop it through. If it's in a bottle, shake it thoroughly
Even experienced users can be caught out by a different level of
purity in a sample and accidentally overdose
lessen the risk of
overdose
There is clear evidence that death from heroin-related
overdose is rarely instantaneous and therefore an overdose is not
automatically fatal.
Precautions can lessen the chances of a fatal OD, and steps that
can be taken to help someone who's OD'ing.
- never using heroin when you're alone,
particularly behind a locked door
- never mix heroin with any other drugs
- always source from a trusted dealer (if
you're buying from a new source, always take a small amount first)
|
