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In the latest ONS report, almost half of the recorded deaths due to drug misuse involve an opiate. Heroin is an opiate that is used recreationally by addicts and is considered one of the most dangerous drugs on the market.
Heroin can destroy a person’s life so it is good to know what you are up against. The drug comes in many forms, and one of the most dangerous forms of heroin is known as black tar heroin. If you are worried about opiates then you should know the answer to the question, “What is black tar heroin?”, the effects it can have on you and the treatment available.
Identifying Black Tar Heroin
Heroin is an addictive drug synthesised from morphine, a painkiller that is used in hospital settings. Morphine is attracted from opium poppy plants that grow predominately in Southeast Asia and Central and South America. In this form, it is usually a brown powder that is sold in bricks illegally.
Black tar heroin is different as it is mostly produced in Mexico, making this type of heroin extremely popular in the neighbouring United States. The process to make it is much less refined than the powder version, meaning the drug is less pure, topping out at around 30%. To make the drug profitable, it is cut with many unknown substances which increases the risk of overdose and bad interactions.
What Does Black Tar Heroin Look Like?
Black tar heroin, as the name suggests, looks like a sticky black substance. It can also look like a lump of coal. The crude processing method to create the drug means that many impurities remain after the drug is refined, giving it a black sticky appearance. Sometimes, it can have a lighter colour of dark brown or dark orange.
It is also very recognisable by its smell. Generally, black tar heroin has a vinegar-like acidic smell. This is a leftover from the chemicals used to synthesise the drug. Higher purity heroin has these chemicals washed away at some point so the smell is much less potent.
How is Black Tar Heroin Consumed?
There are three main ways that people take black tar heroin.
Injection
Injecting heroin is the image that is conjured up often when you think about this drug. Users dissolve the drug in water and use a needle and syringe to inject it into their veins. Injection is the preferred method as the effects come on almost as soon as the drug enters the body.
Beyond the side effects of black tar heroin, injection brings with it extra risks as using needles unsafely will increase the chances of contracting HIV and hepatitis B.
Smoking
Smoking black tar heroin doesn’t involve smoking it in a cigarette. People who smoke heroin place it on top of foil and then hold a lighter beneath. The vapours that rise can then be inhaled via a straw or dismantled biro pen.
This method can be seen as less dangerous than injecting, but the drug still gets into your bloodstream quickly via the lungs and increases the risk of lung damage.
Snorting
This is an uncommon way to take black tar heroin, due to its sticky appearance. If dissolved in water then the liquid can be snorted if wished. Snorting black tar heroin brings with it the increased risks to your nasal passages, throat and lungs.
Common Types of Street Heroin
As stated, black tar heroin is just one type of drug that is usually purchased on the streets.
White Powder
White powder heroin is the purest heroin bought on the street. Having said that, it is still cut with other substances to increase profits for the distributors and makers. Within the last decade, fentanyl, a pain medication, has been cut with heroin – bringing about an increase in heroin-related deaths in the USA and on a smaller scale in the UK.
Due to its white and powdery appearance, white powder heroin can be easily mistaken for cocaine.
Brown Powder
Brown powder heroin is the more refined version of black tar heroin but still not as pure as white powder heroin. It is made predominately in Mexico and sold in the United States. It is less soluble than white powder heroin so it is more likely to be smoked rather than injected. Because of this, it is more popular with first-time users and younger people as it is deemed more appealing due to the lack of needles and dangers associated with them.
Effects of Black Tar Heroin
Black tar heroin brings with it the same problems as normal heroin and some are not associated with the drug in its other forms.
Short-term effects include:
- Skin problems such as itching, abscesses and infections
- Nausea
- Respiratory depression
- Euphoria
Long-term effects include:
- Wound botulism
- Collapsed veins
- Necrotising fasciitis
- Gangrene
- Tetanus
The long-term effects listed are more unique to black tar heroin and the injection of it. These impacts come down to the impurity of black tar heroin, its consistency and contaminated needles.
Signs a Person is Using Black Tar Heroin
Knowing the signs of addiction in yourself or someone else is the first step to making a positive change. There are many things to look out for but common signs include:
- Mental health decline
- Financial problems
- Poor hygiene
- Constipation
- Prioritising drug use over everything else
- Becoming more secretive
- Itchiness
- Sudden weight loss
- Bloodshot eyes
Black Tar Heroin Addiction Treatment
Black tar heroin is an incredibly addictive drug and to effectively rid yourself of it, you will need professional help. A heroin rehab treatment setting provides the environment and support you need to begin combating a black tar heroin addiction.
During rehab, you will go through heroin detox, suffer withdrawal, and end your physical dependence on the drug. Afterwards, therapies will help you better understand your addiction and provide you with suitable ways to deal with triggers and temptations.
Find Out More About Black Tar Heroin
Now that you’ve got the answer to, “What does black tar heroin look like?”, how it is consumed and the unique dangers of the drug, hopefully, you are now better prepared.
At Rehab Clinics Group, we are dedicated to providing expert rehabilitation to those who need it. If you have further questions about black tar heroin or want to know more about our network of private drug and alcohol rehab clinics, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Call today at 0800 470 0382 or text HELP to 83222.
