What Is a Speedball in Substance Abuse?

Needles are used to inject speedballs.

Speedball is a slang term for a combination of heroin and cocaine that can be injected intravenously. According to the Harvard Medical School, this combination of drugs is highly dangerous and has more negative effects on the user than just cocaine or heroine alone. Speedball users also tend to have a stronger addiction to drugs than many other illicit drug users.

Cocaine

Cocaine is a stimulant drug that can be snorted, injected, or smoked. Smoking and injecting cocaine delivers the drug to the bloodstream much quicker than snorting it. Cocaine can reduce fatigue, increase energy, and give a sense of euphoria. The effects from cocaine is short lived in the system, often lasting only 5 to 30 minutes. Cocaine use alone can cause series heart problems, nosebleeds, irritability, and more.

Heroin

Heroine is an opiate that is often injected, snorted, or smoked. Users of heroine may feel a strong euphoric feeling and clouded mental function. Heroine is extremely addicting and by itself has serious side effects such as heart infections, liver and kidney diseases, and much more. It's potential damage goes up when combined with cocaine in a speedball.

Withdrawal Symptoms

The National Institute on Drug Abuse associates restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, paranoia, and severe pain with heroine and cocaine use. Users may also experience cravings and addiction for years after they stop taking speedballs.

Law Enforcement

Possession and use of cocaine and heroine is illegal in the United States. Punishment for speedball use is generally not more or less than what a convicted user would receive for possession of just one of those drugs. Punishments can range from fines to jail time.

Spread of Disease

Since speedballs require the use of intravenous injections, and users tend to share needles, users increase their chances of acquiring diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. These bloodborne diseases can severely diminish quality of life and even lead to death.

References

• Combined Cocaine and Opioid Abuse
• NIDA: Cocaine
• NIDA: Heroin