People tend to have a lot of questions and misconceptions about drugs. Many people wonder whether different drugs have the same effects as others. For example, they might wonder are heroin and coke the same thing?
The following provides an overview of heroin regarding similarities and differences it has with other commonly abused drugs.

While these are the primary similarities between the two drugs, there are many differences between the two. One major difference is the fact that cocaine often produces death in users through cardiotoxicity. With heroin, death is usually caused by respiratory depression. Cocaine doesn’t have an antidote for overdose, but heroin does. Also, one of the biggest differences is the fact that heroin is a depressant and cocaine is a stimulant.
Seeking addiction treatment can feel overwhelming. We know the struggle, which is why we're uniquely qualified to help.
Your call is confidential, and there's no pressure to commit to treatment until you're ready. As a voluntary facility, we're here to help you heal -- on your terms. Our sole focus is getting you back to the healthy, sober life you deserve, and we are ready and waiting to answer your questions or concerns 24/7.
Speak to an Intake Coordinator now.352.771.2700So, are heroin and crack the same?
Heroin and crack are not the same. The differences are the same as the differences between heroin and cocaine, including the fact that heroin is a depressant and crack is a stimulant.
When someone takes heroin, it is metabolized into morphine in the body, and the ways they work are similar to one another.
For example, both morphine and heroin can enter the brain freely, crossing the blood-brain barrier, but heroin just does so more quickly.
Also important to understand when answering questions like, “Are heroin and morphine the same drug?” and, “Are heroin and morphine the same?” is the fact that both substances release the chemical dopamine when they bind to the brain’s opioid receptors.
OxyContin is, as noted above, available by prescription but is frequently abused. Heroin, however, doesn’t have any medical uses in the United States.
So, are heroin and OxyContin the same? In some ways, they are the same, at least in how they impact the brain, but heroin is illegal in all circumstances and also tends to be more potent.
Oxycodone is an opioid pain medication used for the treatment of moderate to severe pain, and it is available by prescription. Like OxyContin, it is made from synthetic plant derivatives. Like heroin, it binds to opioid receptors and can also be very addictive. However, heroin is completely illegal, and generally also more powerful.