Brief Description
Heroin is an opioid drug that is synthesized from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian opium poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder or as a black sticky substance, known as “black tar heroin.” Learn more
Statistics and Trends
| Drug |
Time Period |
8th- Graders |
10th- Graders |
12th- Graders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heroin | Lifetime | [0.8] | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| Past Year | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | |
| Past Month | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.3 |
* Data in brackets indicate statistically significant change from the previous year.
| Drug |
Time Period |
Ages 12 or Older |
Ages 12-17 |
Ages 18-25 |
Ages 26 or Older |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heroin | Lifetime | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 |
| Past Year | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | |
| Past Month | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
* Data in brackets indicate statistically significant change from the previous year.
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Emerging Trends
Get more information on Emerging Trends, we will update this page with the latest research findings as they develop.
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Other Articles of Interest
Research Report
Heroin: Abuse and Addiction
Offers the latest scientific information on heroin abuse, exploring the health and medical consequences of its use, maternal heroin abuse, and treatment options for heroin addiction.
Featured Publication
Drugs, Brains, and Behavior - The Science of Addiction
As a result of scientific research, we know that addiction is a disease that affects both brain and behavior.
