heroin

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Images

A young person with visible tattoos on their fingers holds a hypodermic syringe, seated at a table, highlighting participation in a needle exchange program.

Explore Britannica's coverage on the history of the opioid crisis in the United States.

World map illustrating the illicit international flow of heroin, with arrows of varying thickness showing high, medium, and low trafficking routes. Major flows originate from Southwest, Southeast, and Central Asia and move toward Europe, Africa, North America, and Oceania, highlighting global heroin trafficking patterns.

At a Glance

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heroin: Media

drug

Images

A young person with visible tattoos on their fingers holds a hypodermic syringe, seated at a table, highlighting participation in a needle exchange program.

Heroin and drug addiction

Two hands holding a hypodermic syringe obtained through a syringe exchange service...

© Roger Hutchings—In Pictures Ltd./Corbis Historical/Getty Images

World map illustrating the illicit international flow of heroin, with arrows of varying thickness showing high, medium, and low trafficking routes. Major flows originate from Southwest, Southeast, and Central Asia and move toward Europe, Africa, North America, and Oceania, highlighting global heroin trafficking patterns.

Illicit drug flow and trafficking world map for heroin

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Heroin

Heroin

An early bottle of Bayer heroin.

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Interactives

Explore Britannica's coverage on the history of the opioid crisis in the United States.

Explore Britannica's coverage on the history of the opioid crisis in the United States.

The opioid epidemic is the worst drug crisis in U.S. history.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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