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Black Tar Heroin is a variety of heroin produced primarily in Mexico. It is one of the most prevalent forms of heroin in the western United States, while occasionally found in western Canada and Europe. Mexican heroin has a hashish-like, non-powdery consistency (though it can also appear as a dark brown or dark orange powder and adulterated), which distinguishes itself from other forms of heroin.

"Black tar heroin" is the typical street term for the drug, but it has many other street (colloquial) names, such as:

• Pigment
• "Black"
• "Ache": the Spanish Pronunciation of the letter H. "H" is silent in Spanish so "ache" is pronounced "atchay"
• Negro: the Spanish word for black
• Piedra: the Spanish word for stone
• Chiva: a Spanish word for a young goat
• Nut Job
• Capital B
• Cheesums
• Black Clown

History

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Mexican drug syndicates were producing heroin by the mid-1950s. Lacking the experience in chemistry that other syndicates had gained through years of illicit heroin production, Mexican organizations producing Tar substitute Acetyl Chloride or other less efficient glacial acetic acids for the usual acetylating agent, Acetic Anhydride.

Pure morphine and heroin are both fine white and odorless powders. Tar's unique appearance and texture is due to its acetylation without benefit of the usual reflux apparatus. It should also be noted that the percent of the remainder of black tar heroin is often other psychoactive opiate substances, like 6-MAM & 3-MAM in addition to the usual adulterants and dilutents found in other forms of illicit heroin.

The abnormally high 3-MAM content is due to the less than optimum acetylating agent combined with a different reaction time for the acetylation procedure. Varying levels of 6-MAM are due to the process of hydrolysis, a natural decomposition of heroin, though is accelerated when the heroin comes into contact with moisture.

The mistaken assumption that Tar has less adulterants and dilutents is a misconception. The most common adulterant is lactose which is added to Tar via dissolution of both substances in a liquid medium, reheating and filtering, and then recrystallizing. This process is very simple and can be accomplished in any kitchen with no level of expertise needed.

The price per kilogram of black tar heroin has increased from one-tenth that of South American powder heroin in the mid-1990s to between one-half and three-quarters in 2003 due to increased distributional acumen combined with increased demand in Tar's traditional realm of distribution. It has been steadily on the rise in the following years to nearly converge with the dropping purity of U.S. east coast powder varieties of heroin.

Drug components and effects

Black tar heroin is found to contain byproducts such as 6-monoacetylmorphine, U.S. DEA microanalysis of seized black tar heroin was shown to contain over 50% and as much as 63% 6-MAM.

Health matters specific to black tar heroin

Users who intravenously inject black tar heroin are at higher risk of venous sclerosis (a condition where the veins narrow and harden, making injection there nearly impossible) than users of powder heroin. Researchers at UC-San Francisco have found that the rapidity with which black tar heroin destroys veins (forcing users to inject subcutaneously), along with its gummier consistency (requiring that needles be thoroughly rinsed between use), may put users at a lower risk of HIV infection.

Documentary

The lifestyles of users are captured on the 1999 documentary Black Tar Heroin: The Dark End of the Street.

References

1. See the CDC's Wound Botulism Among Black Tar Heroin Users from 2003, for example.
2. February '06 DEA Office of Forensic Sciences Washington Intelligence alert
3. Although the decrease in HIV risk among IDU is maximised by the availability of clean injecting equipment and education around safer using and BBV Black Tar Heroin May Save Users from HIV: Report

• National Drug Threat Assessment 2005, National Drug Intelligence Center. Accessed 15 December 2005
• Heroin, Interpol Drugs Sub-Directorate. Accessed 15 December 2005

• Heroin