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H
Opioids

Heroin

Street names: Dope, H, Smack, Sugar brown, Brown, Junk

Heroin — White/off-white powder (US) or brown base powder ('sugar brown'); black tar (Mexico)

What it does

  • Rapid intense euphoria ('rush')
  • Warmth, heavy limbs
  • Pain relief, drowsiness ('nodding')

Key risks

  • Extremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks
  • Overdose: breathing slows or stops
  • Unknown strength + fentanyl contamination

Overdose signs

  • Unresponsive, pinpoint pupils
  • Breathing <8/min or gurgling
  • Blue/gray lips and fingernails

📋Quick facts

Also known asDope, H, Smack, Sugar brown, Brown, Junk
CategoryOpioids
Schedule / classSchedule I (US)
AppearanceWhite/off-white powder (US) or brown base powder ('sugar brown'); black tar (Mexico)
Street price~$10–$40 per bag; prices vary by region
Legal statusIllegal — Schedule I in the US; Class A (UK); controlled everywhere listed
Last updated2026-09-12
Sources: NIDA, DEA, EMCDDA

Category comparison — Opioids

SubstanceClassTop risksStreet price
HeroinSchedule IExtremely addictive — physical dependence in weeks; Overdose: breathing slows or stops~$10–$40 per bag
FentanylSchedule IIRespiratory depression; Addiction in days~$20–$40 per counterfeit pill
Fentanyl HCl (powder)Schedule II / analogue prosecutionsLab-purity powder is far stronger than street mixes; Weighing errors are fatal~$60–$120/gram wholesale equivalent
AcetylfentanylSchedule I~5–15× weaker than fentanyl but still deadly at gram-level mistakes; Frequent cause of cluster overdoses~$25–$60/g where found
Furanylfentanyl (Fu-F)Schedule ILinked to hundreds of fatal overdoses 2016–2018; Potency similar to fentanyl~$20–$50/g
MethoxyacetylfentanylSchedule IPotency comparable to or exceeding fentanyl; Tiny dosing errors fatalRare
Street prices are regional estimates. Potency and cuts vary constantly — see our pressed pill guide.