Short-term effects of heroin

How quickly heroin affects you depends on how you take it. When you inject heroin into a vein, it reaches your brain and produces a rush of well-being (euphoria) within seconds. The effects last anywhere from 45 seconds to a few minutes. Smoking or snorting produce effects just as quickly, but they are less intense. When you inject heroin into a muscle or under the skin the effects occur more slowly, usually within 20 minutes. After the quick ‘rush’ of well-being a period of calm follows. This may last up to about an hour. Other short-term effects may last for about 3 to 5 hours. To avoid symptoms of withdrawal, people who use heroin may feel the need to use it every 6 to 12 hours.