What is Black Tar Heroin?
Black Tar Heroin, or ‘Black Dragon’ drug is a relatively new form of ingesting heroin, becoming more and more common. It is a highly addictive opiate drug that is extracted from poppy plants and processed with morphine. It originates from Mexico and is often found west of the Mississippi River in the US and Canada.
How is Black Tar Heroin Made?
The difference between black tar heroin vs heroin is the method in which the heroin is prepared for use, resulting in a sticky, hard substance. Black tar heroin is cut with other substances, making it impossible to know the exact purity and strength of the lump of heroin. It is widely believed that because black tar heroin is not pure, (only 25-30% purity) it is less potent than regular heroin. This is a dangerous misconception because it can cause people to ingest more, and then overdose. The process of making black tar drugs is quicker and easier. Consequently, it is more economical than producing white or brown heroin.
What does Black Tar Heroin look like?
Black tar heroin looks like roofing tar or wax, is sticky, and is hard like coal. It is dark in color because of the crude processing methods that leave behind unrefined impurities, which is likely why it is called black tar heroin.
What does Black Tar Heroin smell like?
Black tar heroin has a strong smell that is different than other forms of heroin. Although it can vary with every batch, it often smells acidic, like vinegar. It gets this smell through the chemical used in the drug’s production. Vinegar is used in the final stages of synthesis, but if the heroin is washed out well, it will not have the scent of vinegar.
Street names for Black Tar Heroin
Black tar heroin has many different names on the street, including:
- Big H
- Chiba or Chiva
- Hell Dust
- Horse
- Negra
- Smack
- Thunder
- Junk
- Brown Sugar
- Skag
- Mud
- Dragon
- Dope
- China White
- Snow or Snowball
- Mexican Brown/Mud/Horse, Black Pearl/Eagle/Stuff/Tar
- White Nurse/Lady/Horse/Girl/Boy/Stuff
- Scat
- Sack
- Skunk
Different types of Heroin
There are three different forms of heroin:
- phenolphthalein
- paracetamol
- fentanyl
- Tylenol PM
- flour
- cocaine
- alprazolam
- ecstasy
- chalk
- laundry detergent
- rat poison
- talcum powder
Purple heroin is another form of heroin that is becoming increasingly common and is a combination of heroin and fentanyl.
How do You Use Black Tar Heroin?
People often wonder about the different ways of ingesting this drug. Read on to discover if black tar heroin can be snorted or smoked.
Can You Smoke Black Tar Heroin?
Smoking black tar heroin is a common method of ingestion, but it’s not the only way. With the unfortunate increase in substance abuse in the US, there are two other ways that black tar heroin is abused.
Can You Snort Black Tar Heroin?
Yes, black tar heroin can be snorted. The powder form can be either snorted, smoked, or injected. However, authentic Mexican black tar heroin is only produced in powder form and can only be smoked or injected.
Different methods of consuming heroin cause different long-term side effects. For example, snorting heroin can cause damage to the nose, throat, and lungs. Furthermore, being that the needles used are often not sterile, injecting heroin can lead to infection of the heart lining and valves.
Black Tar Heroin Side Effects
Black tar heroin causes side effects both shortly after use and after long-term use. Discover the short and long-term, physical and mental effects of black tar heroin.
What are the Short-term Effects of Black Tar Heroin?
In the short term, snorting, injecting, or smoking black tar heroin feels pleasant. Since heroin is a depressant, the immediate effects of the drug are a calm, relaxed feeling. The drug slows down the central nervous system (CNS) causing the internal organs to slow its pace. In the event of an overdose, it will shut down completely.
Soon after the initial pleasurable feelings, the user may feel the uncomfortable side effects of black tar heroin. Symptoms include:
- Dry mouth, nausea
- warm flushing of the skin
- severe itching
- slow heart rate and breathing
- lethargy
- constricted pupils
- heavy extremities
- constipation
What are the Long-term Effects of Smoking Black Tar Heroin?
There are many disturbing side effects from the constant misuse of black tar heroin. These effects are similar to powdered heroin abuse. Since heroin binds to the receptors in the brain, causing a dopamine rush, it can easily become addictive (aka heroin use disorder), or the user can become tolerant and dependent on the drug.
The long-term mental black tar heroin effects include:
- impulsivity
- difficulty with decision-making
- difficulty with self-regulation
- outbursts
- anxiety
- depression
- antisocial personality disorder
- other mental health issues.
Some of the physical effects include:
- insomnia
- lung problems
- heart problems
- stroke
- liver and kidney disease
- irregular menstrual cycles for women
- sexual dysfunction for men
- a higher risk of tuberculosis, pneumonia, and overall organ failure.
When a person overdoses from heroin, the internal organs slow down to such a great extent that they eventually stop functioning altogether. The person takes slow and shallow breaths until the brain stops getting enough oxygen, causing a coma, brain damage, and death. The common symptoms of a heroin overdose include snoring or gurgling sounds, shallow or no breathing, blue lips and/or fingernails, disorientation or no response, and floppy arms and legs.
If you see someone who is exhibiting these symptoms, call for emergency services right away as there is a chance that you can save that person from death.
Signs of Black Tar Heroin Misuse
Unlike tobacco and marijuana smoke, the smoke of heroin does not linger in the air, making it difficult to identify if someone is smoking heroin. Methods such as snorting and injecting heroin are also difficult to detect because they do not give off a smell at all.
However, different behavioral changes are commonly detected in drug addicts, such as depression, euphoria, anxiety, agitation, loss of concentration, decreased academic and general performance, lack of motivation, and mood swings.
They may also lie about their drug use and have glass pipes (smoking), needles or syringes (injecting), and burned spoons (snorting). The user may also experience hallucinations and paranoia and appear disorientated.
Physically, people who are addicted may sleep longer, have slurred speech, lose a lot of weight, have constricted pupils, and have extreme itchiness.
Black Tar Heroin: Dark End of the Street
In a popular film that was released in the year 2000, five black tar heroin addicts' lives were displayed, over the course of three years. The film, called Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street, showed how these youths would resort to anything to get more money to fund their addiction. It also showed the terrible side-effects that these youths were dealing with, and their struggle to attempt to overcome their addiction and enter drug detox treatment. Many were deeply affected by this film since it displayed in true color what their lives were like, and how difficult it is to get out of the rut of addiction.
Smoking Black Tar Heroin- The Bottom Line
Smoking black tar heroin is dangerous since it can lead to addiction and even death, besides the other unpleasant short- and long-term side effects.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an addiction to black tar heroin, know that there is help out there. Avenues Recovery is here for you 24\7. It’s never too late to turn around your life and get clean. Contact Avenues Recovery for support and professional guidance. You deserve a life in recovery and a future that’s addiction-free!