Heroin is an illegal and highly addictive drug.  It can be smoked, snorted or injected. Upon ingestion heroin produces analgesic and euphoric effects quickly.  The possession, sale and trafficking of heroin bring stiff penalties in the United States.

In 1914, under the Harrison Narcotic Act, heroin became a federally controlled substance.  The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classifies heroin as a Schedule I drug, meaning that the U.S. government deems heroin to have a high potential for abuse and no medicinal value.  The possession and sale of heroin is illegal in all 50 states of the United States.  State laws and penalties vary, depending on prior convictions and the particulars of the case.  Sentencing typically involves jail time and large fines.  The rules concerning heroine vary in the different states of U.S.  The related law of each state is discussed under the following state links.