When things go wrong – injecting and infections
If you inject street drugs, injuries and infections are part of the game. This leaflet helps explain what can happen and what to do.
What and Why Methadone
Methadone is one of a large number of drugs that have been manufactured to mimic one or more of the effects of natural opium. It is a much longer-acting drug than heroin, so people who are dependent on opiates can usually take it once a day and be free of withdrawal symptoms.
What and Why Heroin
Heroin is made from the sap of the opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, which has been the most effective painkiller known to medicine for at least 7000 years. The pharmaceutical name for heroin is diamorphine.
What and Why Harm Reduction
The term harm reduction was adopted in the 1980s to describe the activities of services that were developed to limit the spread of HIV amongst injecting drug users. Harm reduction goals have since been expanded to include hepatitis B and C prevention, reducing overdose deaths and improving the general health of drug users.
What and Why Crack and Cocaine
Cocaine and crack cocaine are the same drug in different forms. The drug is manufactured from the leaves of both the Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum novagranatense plants.
What and Why – Cannabis
Cannabis is a bushy green plant whose sap and leaves contain the psychoactive compound delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
What and Why – Amphetamine
Amphetamine is a synthetic stimulant drug.
Understanding volatile substances
You may feel, though, that you need help right now and want to know where to get that help.
Treatment Choices – Methadone
Methadone takes about four days from the start of treatment to build up in your system and to give full effect.
Treatment Choices – Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine is sold in the UK under the trade name Subutex. It is a long-acting opiate that you take as a pill that dissolves under the tongue.