Afghan Heroin

Afghan heroin refers to heroin produced from opium poppies cultivated in Afghanistan, historically one of the world’s largest sources of illicit opium.

How Heroin Is Made

Heroin comes from opium poppy plants, which are grown on several different continents throughout the world.

Raw opium is harvested from the seed pods of these plants, which contain a milky fluid. This can be refined to create morphine.

Creating Powder Heroin

Powdered heroin production requires a more extensive process. Black tar heroin can be cut with lactose and further refined to create a brownish powder.

The purest form of heroin is a shiny, white powder, known as diacetylmorphine hydrochloride.

Not all white powder heroin has the same purity level. Much of the heroin sold on the street is cut with additional ingredients, also known as cutting agents, fillers, adulterants, or additives.

Where Does Heroin Come From?

Heroin is a derivative of the natural opiate morphine, which is a drug commonly prescribed to treat severe or chronic pain. Morphine is extracted from the seeds of the opium poppy plant.

Opium poppy plants are produced from poppy seeds, and are grown in Southeast Asia, middle eastern countries such as Turkey, Latin America, and parts of Europe and Australia.

What Are The Dangers Of Heroin?

According to the United Nations Office of Drugs And Crime (UNODC), more than 15 million people worldwide use illicit opiate drugs such as heroin, codeine, and morphine.

Quick facts on the dangers of heroin:

• Overdose deaths specifically attributed to heroin have declined in recent years, but this reflects a change in the drug supply rather than reduced risk. Much of what is sold as heroin now contains illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is counted separately in overdose statistics.
• Heroin injection is a major risk factor for infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.
• Heroin that is cut with the illicit opioid fentanyl can be very deadly in small doses, due to the high potency of fentanyl.
• Additives in heroin can also be dangerous, particularly when injected. This can clog blood vessels leading to the lungs, kidneys, and brain, potentially causing permanent damage.