Heroin is one of the many drugs that teens run the risk of coming into contact with. This highly addictive drug is a derivative of morphine. It impacts the brain’s pleasure centers and reduces the user’s ability to feel pain. Because of this pleasure center connection, many teens find falling into the pattern of heroin abuse to be quite easy. Escaping heroin’s clutches can be exceedingly difficult also.

The Appeal

Aside from being highly addictive, heroin proves a cheap high for many teens. As the CBS News reports, in 2009 a small bag of heroine was less expensive than a six-pack of beer, making heroin a drug that fits well into many teen’s limited budgets. While heroin was once almost always injected, the drug has been improved upon and made purer, allowing addicts to snort it, which is certainly much more appealing to many teens, reports DrugFree.org.

Age of Use

As the average heroin user’s age has decreased, many teens now enter their teenage years already seasoned users of the substance, reports CBS News. In a study conducted by New York’s Drug Enforcement Agency, officers found that an ever-increasing number of middle school students have reportedly experimented with heroin.

Consequences of Use

Many teens begin their relationship with heroin with the thought that they will only use the drug recreationally; however, the addictive pull of heroin may prove too much for them to resist. Teens who experiment with heroin are at risk for developing a chemical dependency to the drug. Those who abuse heroin will likely also experience negative social effects as a result of their drug use, such as strained relationships with family and friends. Many teens also experience school-related challenges as a result of their drug use, demonstrating increased absenteeism and experiencing a drop in grades, reports CBS News.

Heroine Abuse and Death

The consequences for heroine abuse can be deadly serious, reports CBS News. In 2009, not only did cities across the country see an increase in teen heroine use, they also saw a larger number of teens dying as a result of their heroine use. Cities in Alabama, New York, Oregon and Illinois all saw the same increase in heroine use and resulting death among teens, proving that this issue is not an isolated one.

Dealing with Addiction

Breaking free from a pattern of heroin abuse often proves challenging, as this drug’s addictive nature make it difficult to give it up. If your teen is a heroin abuser, don’t attempt to help him by yourself. Seek professional assistance. While you may loathe to share information about his problems with others, doing so is vital to his recovery. With professional assistance, you can ensure that you teen is supported each step of the way, increasing the likelihood that he is successful in kicking the drug.