What Does Heroin Look Like?
Key Takeaways
- There are different types of heroin, and each type of heroin varies in appearance.
- The different colors of heroin depend on the purity of the drug and whether or not it’s cut with other substances like fentanyl.
- The smell and taste of heroin will vary depending on its purity
- Anyone using heroin, especially with certain risk factors, can become addicted.
- Heroin use leads to symptoms like drowsiness, slurred speech, and disorientation.
Heroin is an addictive and illegal opioid made from morphine. Although pure heroin is white, there are different types of heroin that can vary in color.
Despite their differences, each type of heroin can lead to addiction and other long-term health consequences.
What Do The Different Types of Heroin Look Like?
The most common depiction of heroin is a white powder. The powder can be injected, snorted, smoked, or sniffed.
However, heroin’s color varies depending on its purity. The whiter it looks, the purer it is. Sometimes other substances can be cut into heroin, darkening its color while increasing its potency.
The different types of heroin include:
Black Tar Heroin
Black tar heroin is a dark brown or black sticky substance that looks like a hard ball. It is the least pure form of heroin and often contains other substances like talcum powder or rat poison (strychnine).
Its consistency makes it difficult to inject, so users dilute and heat it before injecting it. Otherwise, it can be smoked or ingested in another way.
Brown Heroin
Brown heroin, or brown powder, is similar to pure white heroin but tends to have a grittier texture because it isn’t as pure.
Users typically smoke brown heroin, but it can also be injected or snorted.
Asian Heroin
Asian heroin comes in various colors, depending on where it comes from. These include white, beige, yellow, pink, and orange
It comes in powder form and resembles ground-up candy or chalk.
Gunpowder Heroin
Gunpowder heroin is a stickier and more potent form of black tar heroin. It has a crumbled texture similar to dried coffee grounds.
It’s commonly found on the West Coast of the United States.
Purple/Blue Heroin
Purple or blue heroin (Purp) is one of the deadliest forms of the drug. It is mixed with fentanyl and carfentanil, a tranquilizer used to anesthetize elephants.
A 20-microgram dose of purple heroin is enough to kill a person.
Pills and Tablets
Heroin can also come in tablet or pill form. These light blue pills are often called “Mexican Oxy” or “heroin pills.”
Heroin pills are deadlier than regular heroin because they contain a significant amount of fentanyl. It’s also often mistaken for prescription drugs, like oxycodone or hydrocodone.
These pills are sold as a version of oxycodone, despite being three to six times as dangerous as their prescription counterparts. Using these pills can lead to significant health problems.
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What Does Heroin Smell & Taste Like?
Pure heroin doesn’t have a significant odor because the smell usually comes from the substances cut into it. When it does have a scent, it often smells like vinegar due to the process that makes it more acidic.
It can also smell like vitamins or medicine. As for its taste, heroin is bitter, but it can vary depending on how it’s cut
Cutting heroin with something acidic gives it an acidic flavor taste while cutting it with sugar makes it sweet. Meanwhile, black tar heroin has a chemical taste.
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What are the Symptoms of Heroin Use?
Compared to other drugs, heroin triggers various physical and mental symptoms that worsen over time. Symptoms of heroin use and addiction include:
- Slurred speech
- Itching
- Agitation
- Drowsiness
- Constricted pupils
- Flushed skin
- Needle marks or a runny nose
- Slow breathing
- Depression
- Memory problems
- Constipation
- Confusion or disorientation
- Impaired decision making
- Reduced pain response
- Changes in appearance
- Decline in personal hygiene
- Financial issues
- Changes in personality and behavior
- Problems at work or school
- Engaging in risky activities
- Inability to stop using heroin
What are the Symptoms of a Heroin Overdose?
Like most drugs, too much heroin can lead to an opioid overdose. This can have life-threatening symptoms that require immediate medical attention.
Heroin users have a high risk of experiencing the following symptoms:
- Shallow breathing
- Gasping
- Pale Skin
- Bluish tint to the lips and/or fingertips
- Unresponsiveness
- Coma
- Death
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mixing heroin with other substances increases the risk of overdose. If you or someone you know is experiencing a heroin overdose, seek immediate medical attention.
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How is Heroin Addiction Treated?
Withdrawal symptoms like cravings, sleep problems, and gastrointestinal problems can make it difficult to stop using heroin without medical help.
Fortunately, there are various treatment approaches available for heroin addiction. Keep in mind that your treatment plan will depend on your specific needs.
Available treatment options include:
- Medical detox: Medically supervised detox used to avoid harmful withdrawal effects
- Inpatient treatment: Involves checking yourself into a rehab facility for 24-hour medical supervision
- Outpatient treatment: A treatment program where you are freely allowed to leave the rehab facility
- Medication-assisted treatment: Involves using medication, counseling, and therapy to treat addiction
- Cognitive behavioral therapy: A short-term therapy technique that explores the link between thought patterns and drug use
- Addiction therapy: Individual or group therapies designed to help identify triggers, develop relapse prevention skills, etc.
- Support groups and aftercare: Groups like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) provide a much-needed community to help maintain sobriety after treatment
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- NIDA. “What effects does heroin have on the body?.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2024.
- “Asia’s Heroin Is Now Sold in Lemon Yellow, Cotton-Candy Pinks.” NBC News, 2014.
- “Heroin Pills Are Now a Reality – Is Andrew Kolodny Finally Happy?” American Council on Science and Health, 2019.
- NIDA. “Heroin.” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2019.
- CDC. “Understanding the Opioid Overdose Epidemic.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024.
- NIDA. “What Is Heroin and How Is It Used?” National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018.
- CDC “Heroin.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2024.
- Ciccarone D. “Heroin in brown, black and white: structural factors and medical consequences in the US heroin market.” Int J Drug Policy, 2009.
