Heroin is an opiate made from the chemical morphine, which is extracted from the dried latex of the opium poppy. Morphine is extracted from the opium latex, and these chemicals are used to make opiates, such as heroin, diamorphine and methadone. Heroin was originally used as a painkiller in the 19th century, until doctors realised its highly addictive quality; the name heroin comes from 'heroisch', the German word for hero.

Pure heroin is a white powder, but street heroin comes as a brownish-white powder that can be smoked, snorted or dissolved and injected. Most of the heroin that is smuggled into the UK comes from Afghanistan.

• An initial head rush that lasts a couple of minutes.
  

• Sniffing poppers during sex can make orgasms feel like they last longer. And some people say it makes their sexual organs feel massive.
  

• May help relax anal sphincter muscles.

But there is a flip side:

• The effects don't last long and can leave people feeling sick, faint and weak. Especially if taken while dancing.
  

• Some people say they have trouble getting an erection after sniffing poppers.
  

• Poppers can give you the Mother of all headaches.
  

• Some people get a rash around their mouth.

• Poppers are toxic and can kill you if you swallow them.
  

• Taking poppers is dangerous for anyone with chest or heart problems, anaemia or glaucoma.
  

• It's very dangerous to take poppers with viagra or if you're on medication to reduce your blood pressure as it can cause it to drop so low it is dangerous.
  

• Don't get them on your skin, poppers burn.
  

• They are highly flammable.