Heroin was first manufactured in 1898 by the Bayer pharmaceutical company of Germany and marketed as a treatment for tuberculosis as well as a remedy for morphine addiction.
Made from the resin of poppy flowers, other chemicals are added and it's then filtered and refined to become the street drug known as heroin.
The average cost of a single dose of 0.1g of heroin is approximately $15 to $20 in the US, costing between $150 and $200 per day for an addict to support their habit.
In this episode of The Infographics Show we'll be exploring just how bad the drug is, as we find out: What Does Heroin Do To Your Body?
When we think of heroin we think needles, but heroin can be smoked, which is known as "chasing the dragon" and depending on the purity of the drug and the preference of the user, it can also be snorted.
If injected, heroin can be administered into a vein or a muscle.
Heroin addicts tend to inject the drug into a vein as the effects take hold faster.
Shortly after taking heroin, users report that they feel a rush of euphoria, dry mouth, and a warm flushing of the skin.
There is relief from pain and anxiety, arms and legs often feel unnaturally heavy, the body temperature increases, the mouth becomes parched and people often feel nauseous and vomit.
The heart rate slows or is irregular, breathing will also slow down and a person goes into a dream like state falling in and out of consciousness.