Heroin surprisingly doesn't have a lot of long term effects to health (so long as you don't OD). It's the use of needles and blood born illnesses that can really well: kill you. Hepatitis, HIV, etc.

He also stopped doing heroin 45 years ago (self reported).

In Shane's case, is it any wonder that a chronic and extreme drinking problem eventually kills you? His quality of life has been impacted for almost as long as Keith Richards has been off the needle.