Facts about heroin?

Over the past 5 years heroin has become a very popular drug. It has taken the place of many other drugs that have been popular. Does any one know which drugs heroin has come to overpower?

every drug

It has probably overcome it's two closest drugs, speed and cocaine.

cocaine

heroin is awesome

Heroin was first synthesized in Germany, 1898, by the Bayer Company, and is the most prevalent of the semisynthetic opiates. Most commonly in a powder form, the more prevalent form of administering is by mainlining (intravenously), skin-popping (subcutaneously), or intramuscularly. With the purer forms becoming more available, snorting or smoking the powder has also become common. Heroin also goes by the names Big H, Smack, Dope, Mojo, Brown (due to the crude processing methods), Mexican Brown, and Mud.

Oxycodone is similar to codeine as an analgesic, but proves to be more addictive. Percodan, Percoset, and Tylox are trade names, not unlike Demerol.

According to a recent study, there are approximately 1.9 million habitual users of analgesics. In the same study, about 2.5 million Americans have used Heroin at some point.

As a direct result of the respiration being repressed, an overdose is an extreme yet common effect of the abuse of opiates. Malnutrition, Gastrointestinal problems, and severe infection (resulting from injecting, as with heroin). In addition to these side effects, the withdrawal symptoms are equally severe. From watery eyes, muscle spasms, and flu like symptoms to mental cravings and severe depression, the rehabilitation process is even more taxing on the individual.

here is a website that tells u alot oabout herion http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/heroin... plus i think that it is cocaine and speed taht it overcame

In the UK heroin exploded in terms of availability and popularity in the mid 80's. A different form arrived on our shores in the unusual form of brown powder and could be smoked instead of just injected. Many users from those days report that they didn't know it was heroin they were taking at first until cessation of use made them withdraw.
The so called gateway drugs such as cannabis, speed, cocaine and ecstasy, have often been cited as the beginning of the slippery slope into oblivion. In some cases this is true, as users of recreational stimulants sometimes take heroin, or other downers, initially as a way of coming down and to get some sleep after a hard night's partying.
This goes someway to explain the rise in popularity because the method for coming down becomes a habit in itself and addiction can follow.
I know this is not true of all recreational stimulant users but it happens a lot.
I only go into this detail to show there is no simplistic answer to which drugs heroin has overtaken and to say cocaine is one of them may be true in some countries but not others.
In the UK, a lot of heroin users have a dual habit now with crack cocaine being the secondary drug of choice.