What Is A Speedball?

A Speedball is a mixture of the illicit drugs Heroin and Cocaine. Typically, Speedballing involves both substances being injected into the bloodstream via needles, but they are sometimes snorted nasally together as well. Individuals who Speedball claim to experience a more intense, longer lasting high than that experienced when taking either drug alone.

Heroin is a common illicit Opioid (derived from Morphine) that slows breathing and can lead to respiratory failure, especially when combined with another Depressant, such as alcohol. Cocaine, a Stimulant, has nearly the opposite effect (such as increased heart rate and energy, rapid breathing, etc). It is a common misconception that mixing Heroin with Cocaine will either balance or cancel out the negative side effects of Heroin. In reality, combining these substances is more dangerous than using either alone because their negative effects can be amplified when combined.

Mixing Heroin and Cocaine increases the risk of overdose or permanent damage to the body.

Speedballing is especially risky because it forces the body to process more types of drugs simultaneously. Taking a Depressant and a Stimulant together causes a “push-pull” reaction in the body that can be very dangerous. Cocaine use requires the body to take in and use more oxygen while Heroin slows breathing — putting a strain on overactive lungs, heart, and brain and causing confusion and turmoil in the body. In particular, Speedballing makes it more difficult for the body to receive the amount of oxygen needed to keep itself safe and balance out the effects of Cocaine. Even worse, because Cocaine wears off much faster than Heroin, people who Speedball tend to inject more often than those who use either Heroin or Cocaine separately.

Online Addiction Counseling

Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp.

Get Matched.
Begin Therapy.
  • Access to Therapy 24/7
  • Easy Online Scheduling
  • 20,000+ Licensed Therapists

GET STARTED NOW

Paid Advertising. We may receive advertising fees if you follow links to the BetterHelp site.

Side Effects Of Speedballing

The side effects commonly associated with Cocaine are anxiety, hypersensitivity, high blood pressure, and irregular or rapid heartbeat. Opioids like Heroin are often linked to drowsiness and a slowed breathing rate. When combined, the side effects of Speedballing primarily negatively impact the brain.

Combining Cocaine and Heroin is a potent cocktail with a very high risk of unpredictable side effects.

Common side effects of Speedballing include:

  • Confusion or incoherence
  • Blurred vision
  • Drowsiness
  • Paranoia
  • Mental impairment due to lack of sleep
  • Uncontrollable movements
  • Stupor

There are also long-term side effects of Speedballing on the major organs of the body, including the lungs, heart, and liver. There are reports of individuals who experience manic episodes, paranoia, or depression after Speedballing as well.

Even worse, Speedballing creates a high risk of death. Potentially fatal side effects of Speedballing include:

  • Stroke
  • Heart attack
  • Aneurysm
  • Respiratory failure

Break free from addiction.

You have options. Talk about them with a treatment provider today.

(870) 515-4356

Factors That Influence How Speedballing Impacts the User

There are many factors that influence how combining Heroin and Cocaine impacts the body. The same individual can use the same amount of the same drugs on different occasions and experience different effects each time. Some of these factors include:

  • The drug itself: its purity, the amount used, frequency of prior use, whether it has been cut or mixed with other drugs, and how it is administered.
  • The setting: who the user is with and where they are physically.
  • The individual taking the drugs: their mood, personality, mental health, medical history, and individual biology.

Speedball Statistics

63

percent

In 2015, 63% of Cocaine-related overdose deaths involved an Opioid, especially Heroin.

42

percent

By the first half of 2015, Fentanyl-related deaths in Florida that involved Cocaine increased to 42% (up from 17%).

100

percent

Colombian cartels increased Cocaine production by 100% between 2013 and 2015.

The Dangers Of Mixing Drugs

The risk of respiratory failure is even more likely when Speedballing due to differences in how long Cocaine and Heroin affect the body. The euphoric effects of Cocaine wear off faster than Heroin. When this happens, the full respiratory-impairing effects of heroin hit the body.

Additionally, the combination of Cocaine and Heroin can strengthen the effects of each, often leading to overdose.

In 2014, Cocaine was involved in the second-most number of overdose deaths; use has increased each year. This increase comes directly after a steady decline in Cocaine-involved overdoses between 2005 and 2009. Data from county coroners’ reports show that poly-drug use is driving that increase.

When there are no Opioids involved in Cocaine-overdose deaths you see an overall decline in recent years. But when you look at Cocaine and Opioids together, we see a more than doubling in the number of overdoses since 2010, with Heroin and Synthetic Opioids increasingly involved in these deaths.

- Christopher M. Jones, Department of Health and Human Services acting associate deputy assistant secretary, U.S. News & World Report, 2017

Looking for a place to start?

Join the thousands of people that have called a treatment provider for rehab information.

Free and confidential

Available 24/7

Access to professional treatment

Make a Call (870) 515-4356 (870) 515-4356

- OR -

Request a Call

Speedball-Related Overdoses

Starting in the Second Wave of the Opioid Epidemic, the spread of illicitly manufactured Fentanyl (a Synthetic Opioid up to 100 times stronger than Morphine and 50 times stronger than Heroin), caused a sharp increase in overdose deaths. Some purposely took Fentanyl because they knew of its deadly, potent properties. However, many people were not aware of the presence of Fentanyl in counterfeit pills (like Oxycodone) and Heroin. Overdose deaths increased as a result.

The combination of Cocaine (currently at an all-time purity high) and Fentanyl (potentially lethal at only 2 milligrams or the weight of 6 grains of salt) was present in 1,542 deaths in 2015. Many researchers believe the real number of deaths is actually higher due to the way counties report drug deaths.

Insurance Logo
Insurance Logo
Insurance Logo
Insurance Logo
Insurance Logo
Insurance Logo

Check if my insurance covers rehab

Addiction Center is not affiliated with any insurance.

Get Help For An Addiction Today

The process of recovery is difficult for anyone. Without help, it can feel impossible. Following periods of Speedball abuse, detoxing can be uncomfortable and even fatal if done without medical care. Contact a treatment provider today to learn about rehab-related options.

Published:

Author

Destiny Bezrutczyk

Photo of Destiny Bezrutczyk
  • Destiny Bezrutczyk is a Digital Content Writer from west Iowa. She earned a Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature from Texas Tech University. After working as a freelance script and blog writer, she began writing content for tech startups. Maintaining a passion for words, she took on a variety of projects where her writing could help people (especially those battling mental health and substance use disorders).

  • More from Destiny Bezrutczyk

Reviewed by Certified Addiction Professional:

Theresa Parisi

Photo of Theresa Parisi
  • Theresa Parisi is a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP), Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager (CBHCM), and International Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ICADC) with over 12 years of experience in the addiction treatment field.

  • More from Theresa Parisi

Sources

Recovery Starts Today

Call Now For Addiction Support

(870) 515-4356

Ad

New River Comprehensive Treatment Center

Galax , VA

Ad

Life Center of Galax

Galax , VA

Ad

Mount Regis Center

Salem , VA

Ad

Lynchburg Comprehensive Treatment Center

Lynchburg , VA

Ad

Rebound Behavioral Health Hospital

Lancaster , SC

Ad

Oasis Recovery Center

Asheville , NC

Ad

Asheville Recovery Center

Asheville , NC

Ad

Wilmington Treatment Center

Wilmington , NC

Ad

Recovery Centers of America Capital Region

Waldorf , MD

Ad

Village Behavioral Health Treatment Center

Louisville , TN

Ad

Recovery Unplugged – Harrison House of Northern Virginia

Annandale , VA

Ad

New Hope Healthcare Institute

Knoxville , TN

Ad

New Hope Healthcare – Teen Rehab

Knoxville , TN

Ad

Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery Center

Ball Ground , GA

Ad

Lakeview Behavioral Health

Norcross , GA

Ad

Georgetown Behavioral Hospital

Georgetown , OH

Showing 4 of 16 Centers