What is Heroin?

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug that is a derivative of morphine. Heroin itself is an inactive drug, but when inserted into the body, it converts into morphine. It is a naturally occurring substance which is extracted from the seed pod of opium poppy plants. In the United States, heroin is referred to by many street names including H, smack, dope, tar, fish scale, etc. The common form is a white or brownish powder, which is often combined with a “cutting agent” such as sugars, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. However, many statistics show that the heroin on the streets today is the strongest and purest it’s ever been. This could be a reason why the addiction rate is on the rise and heroin overdoses are higher than ever. Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste that predominantly originates in Afghanistan and South America, and dominates the U.S. markets in the Northeast. Highly pure heroin (although not cut with dangerous chemicals) can actually be the most harmful because its strength makes it highly addictive and it can be snorted or smoked which makes it appealing to more users who don’t want the stigma of injecting themselves with a needle.  Meanwhile, the “black tar” heroin, which resembles a sticky black coal substance is predominantly produced in Mexico and typically sold on the west coast of the United States. The dark color associated with black tar heroin results from crude processing methods that leave behind impurities. This form of impure heroin will usually be dissolved or diluted, and injected by the user into their veins or muscles.

Our attorneys are experienced in representing clients who have been charged with heroin related offenses and understand all of ancillary issues that can be involved. Below we have provided some additional articles and information to help you learn about heroin and how it can affect you.

• Adverse Effects of Heroin
• Schedule I Controlled Dangerous Substance
• Opiates
• Understanding Addiction
• Preventing a Fatal Heroin Overdose

Heroin is an opiate, just like other “pain killers” you are prescribed by the doctor such as Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodin. Just like the prescription pain killers, regular and frequent use of heroin will lead to an increased tolerance and eventually a physical dependency. This dependency leads to users needing more of the drug to function and hold off withdrawals. The use of heroin has skyrocketed throughout the country and New Jersey because heroin is often cheaper, stronger and easier to get than traditional prescription drugs.