Side Effects of Smoking Heroin

Risks specific to smoking heroin include chronic bronchitis, bacterial bronchitis, and inflammation in the airway, leading to chronic coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Additionally, there is a risk of early-onset emphysema, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and barotrauma. These conditions cause swelling, inflammation, and trapped air in the lungs.

Some injection heroin users report snorting or smoking heroin first eased their transition to needle drug use. It is also increasingly common for heroin to be cut with other dangerous, potent opioids like illicitly manufactured fentanyl, a significant risk factor for overdose no matter how heroin is taken.

Long-term side effects of chronic needle use for heroin may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, and liver or kidney disease. Additionally, heroin creates unique risks because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases from sharing needles or unsafe injection tools.

How Is Heroin Smoked?

One way a person may smoke heroin is through something called foil smoking. Foil smoking is generally heroin consumption by inhalation. By heating an aluminum foil with a lighter, the heroin on top of the foil starts melting, and the smoke is then inhaled using a straw. Foil smoking is the second most common form of heroin consumption after intravenous use.

Another less common way of smoking heroin is heating it in a glass oil pipe and breathing in the vapors. Some people may even sprinkle powdered heroin on the cigarette’s tip or inside a marijuana joint.

If your loved one is smoking heroin, you might find burnt pieces of aluminum foil, which can hold the heroin as it is being smoked. You will also likely find several lighters, matchbooks, candles, rolling papers, or a glass pipe. If your loved one is smoking heroin, they might mix the substance with tobacco or marijuana, attempting to disguise the distinct smell.

Dangers & Long-term Risks to the Lungs & Body

Smoking any substance takes a severe toll on the lungs and airways. Heroin can be cut with toxic chemicals that are damaging to the lungs. Over time, smoked heroin can lead to lung complications like tuberculosis or pneumonia.

Another way the lungs are affected is by chronic respiratory depression. Heroin is a central nervous system depressant that slows down body functions and heart rate. When users overdose, their breathing is slowed to the point that it can be life-threatening. Over time, this respiratory depression can lead to chronic breathing problems.

Increased Risk of COPD

Similarly, these lung problems can increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a progressive disease that can lead to heart and lung cancer.

Chronic Cough

As an opioid, heroin can suppress coughing short term. However, smoking it can make a person develop a chronic cough. Even more concerning, research suggests that long-term heroin abuse can increase the risk of developing asthma.

Lung Cancer

Not only do smoking substances lead to chronic pulmonary diseases such as asthma and COPD, but it also increases the risk of lung cancer. The act of inhaling toxic substances damages lung tissues, and the poisonous chemicals used to cut heroin are cancer-causing agents.

Hormone Imbalance

Long-term heroin abuse produces hormonal imbalances in both men and women. Women may begin having irregular menstrual cycles, and men may struggle with sexual dysfunction. These hormonal imbalances can also contribute to symptoms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and mental health disorders.

Is Smoking Heroin Different Than Injection & Snorting?

Although smoking, injecting, and snorting heroin result in the same goal of getting high from heroin, there are differences in all three modalities with various risks associated, types of materials used, and levels of dependency.

As people may believe smoking heroin is safer than injecting heroin, all heroin use is extremely dangerous and lethal as it leads to overdose and death.

Additionally, there may be differences in the length of time when using heroin and the duration of the high you may experience.

It has also been found that people who start using heroin by smoking or snorting may quickly progress to using heroin intravenously.

Length of Time to Feel Effects

For snorting, it takes about 5 minutes to feel the effects of the high of heroin.

For smoking and injecting, a person will experience the high immediately.

Duration of High Effects

You may wonder, how long does a heroin high last? Heroin’s duration depends on the method of administration. Heroin use by injection produces a high within 20 seconds, peaks around 2 hours, and lasts up to 4 hours or longer. For people who snort or smoke heroin, the effects of heroin may peak within ten minutes, with the nodding effect lasting as long as 4-5 more hours.