Heroin is usually injected, sniffed/snorted, or smoked. Typically, a heroin abuser may inject up to four times a day. Intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and most rapid onset of euphoria (7 to 8 seconds), while intramuscular injection produces a relatively slow onset of euphoria (5 to 8 minutes). When heroin is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes. Although smoking and sniffing heroin do not produce a "rush" as quickly or as intensely as intravenous injection, NIDA researchers have confirmed that all three forms of heroin administration are addictive.

Injection continues to be the predominant method of heroin use among addicted users seeking treatment; however, researchers have observed a shift in heroin use patterns, from injection to sniffing and smoking. In fact, sniffing/snorting heroin is now the most widely reported means of taking heroin among users admitted for drug treatment in Newark, Chicago, and New York.

With the shift in heroin abuse patterns comes an even more diverse group of users. Older users (over 30) continue to be one of the largest user groups in most national data. However, the increase continues in new, young users across the country who are being lured by inexpensive, high-purity heroin that can be sniffed or smoked instead of injected. Heroin has also been appearing in more affluent communities.

Drugs of Abuse
Alcohol	Cocaine/Crack	Ecstasy
Heroin	Inhalants	Ketamine
Meth	Marijuana	Nicotine
Ritalin	Steroids
More Resources
• Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse
• Big Changes From Elementary School to Middle School
• Pressured Tweens & Teens Turn to Alcohol & Drugs
• Help for the Innocent
• Americans in Denial About Drug Abuse
• Sex Under the Influence of Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Youth Risk Behaviors
• Impaired Driving and Teenagers

Source: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).