What are the risks of taking illegal (street) narcotics?
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and hepatitis B and C are serious diseases that may be spread through blood. Used needles, syringes and other “works” (supplies) to inject narcotics may cause one or more of these diseases. • Street narcotics may be “cut” (mixed) with things like talcum powder, baking soda, or poisons. If there are lumps that do not melt when mixed with water, the lumps may get stuck in your veins and cause infections or clots. Clots can travel to your heart, lungs, or brain and may kill you. • If you get “pure” (unmixed) heroin you may overdose, and die. • If you “skin-pop” (inject just under skin), you may get an infection from used or dirty needles, or other works. • Snorting or sniffing heroin may make a hole in the cartilage that separates the two sides of your nose. • Black tar heroin may contain botulism (BOT-u-liz-um). This is a type of poison that can make you very sick, or even kill you. What harm can narcotic
