Blue Heroin: Side Effects And Dangers

Heroin is an illicit drug that is made from the opium poppy plant grown in South America or Asia. It can come in multiple formulations, including white powder and black tar heroin.

Oftentimes, heroin is mixed with different substances to enhance the effects of the drug. One of the most common combinations found on the street is blue heroin, which contains the synthetic opioid fentanyl.

Learn about other forms of heroin.

Dangers Of Blue Heroin Abuse

Using heroin is always dangerous due to its highly addictive nature. Formulations such as blue heroin are particularly high risk due to the varied levels of fentanyl the drug contains.

On its own, fentanyl is 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine and acts as a strong analgesic and depressant on the central nervous system. The potency of fentanyl makes overdose more likely.

Drug dealers add varying levels of the synthetic drug fentanyl to batches of blue heroin. People who switch from regular heroin to blue heroin can easily take too much and have a fatal drug overdose.

How Blue Heroin Is Abused

Blue heroin appears similar to white powder heroin but with a light blue tint. People who ingest the drug will feel the euphoric opiate effects within seconds.

Common methods of blue heroin abuse include:

• intravenous (IV) injection
• smoking it in a glass pipe
• snorting it in powder form
• “plugged” (rectally inserted)

Most people who use heroin on a regular basis prefer injecting it with a needle due to the nearly instantaneous high that results from shooting the drug.

Other common mixtures of heroin may include cocaine, which is also known by its street name as a “speedball”. This type of heroin is usually insufflated, or snorted.

Short And Long-Term Effects Of Blue Heroin

The intense feeling of well-being, painlessness, and pleasure can last for hours while high on blue heroin. However, there are also several short-term and long-term effects of abusing the drug.

Short-term side effects and risks of using blue heroin include:

• slowed breathing and heart rate
• nausea and vomiting
• confusion
• dizziness
• slurred speech
• heavy feeling in the limbs

Long-term effects of blue heroin may include physical dependency, addiction, brain damage, the onset of mental illness, and potentially fatal withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal symptoms will begin about six hours after the last dose. Symptoms may last up to a week and include muscle aches, cravings, irritability, and cold sweats.

Learn more about the side effects of heroin use.

Treatment Programs For Heroin Abuse

Seeking help for blue heroin addiction may be difficult, but a drug rehab program can provide the tools necessary to avoid opioid overdose, cope with withdrawal, and build a heroin-free life.

Behavioral health services for drug use may include:

• medically monitored heroin detox
• individual, group, and family counseling
• medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for heroin abuse
• support groups for people with prescription opioid addiction
• dual diagnosis treatment for co-occurring disorders
• mental health services

If you have become chemically dependent on a substance such as blue heroin or other types of heroin, it’s highly recommended to seek treatment that can help your body taper off the drug gradually.

Find Heroin Addiction Treatment At Bedrock Recovery Center

For more information on inpatient drug rehab and other opioid addiction treatments, call Bedrock Recovery Center today. Our team can assist you in the steps toward heroin sobriety.