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Suspected Heroin Use

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
My girlfriend came home from work today and told me about one of my neighbours. My neighbour used to be a heroin user and went into rehab 10yrs ago when she found out she was pregnant. She stopped using, but recently she has started getting back into it...Nothing has really been said as such (except that her child's father had been using on and off recently) but little signs here and there have started to concern us...

Today my girlfriend had been round and found my neighbour a bit spaced out. She then went into the kitchen and saw her stash on the table, she said nothing and soon came home. The strange thing is is that what my girlfriend described in the kitchen doesn't sound much like the heroin that is commonly known (though I have no direct experience with heroin). What see decribed sounded more like opium! However my girlfriend has never seen either heroin or opium before, so she didn't know what it was.

I thought heroin only came as a white, or more commonly brown powder. What forms can it come in and can it resemble opium in consistency? ....

My main question is what advice people can give me about what to do...It's a tricky situation to deal with because I want to help her out but- (a) I don't want to be intrusive, so don't know how serious the situation is.
(b) I don't want to do anything that may ultimately lead to her son being taken away.
(c) I have no previous experience of Heroin use.

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    what did it look like, maybe she was just stoned?
    what made you think it was opium?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Re: Suspected Heroin Use
    Originally posted by White Rabbit
    I thought heroin only came as a white, or more commonly brown powder. What forms can it come in and can it resemble opium in consistency? ....


    I have also had no contact or ever seen heroin or opium before, but heroin can come in the form of "black tar" in which it has to be mixed with an acid and melted down.
    What did your girlfriend describe it as?
    Heroin can range in potency a lot , from the pure powder which is white (I think?), down to this street black tar stuff which can be very minimal in potency.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the colour has nothing to do with purity . BIG MISTAKE.
    white and it's variations are water soluble. brown and it's variants are not and need to be disolved in an acid ...acetic etc.
    you cannot smoke white. you cannot inject brown ...unless you dissolve it in acid. black tar is opium. opium is wonderfull and takes longer to get physicaly addicted to ...but it's the same addiction. the good news with opium is there are very few people in the whole of europe who can lay their hands on the stuff often enough to get a habit. heroin is all to available.
    what can you do? not a lot.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well most heroin in the UK is whats terms as 'brown' which is from turkey (or similar area). I know you can get whats terms as black tar heroin in the US but I've never heard of it here.

    Morrocan is right colour has very little to do with purity, although absolutely pure diamorphine should be a white crystaline powder, but then you arent going to get that from anywhere except a doctor.

    You may not want to do anything that would lead her to have her son being taken away, BUT if the son is in danger then you should. Adults can make choices, that boy cant.

    I would say that if either of you come accross it again then you should talk to her about it, express your concerns but try your upmost not to be preachy.

    Good luck, you and her will need it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If she is using again I am sure she knows how damaging this will be for her son. She sorted herself out before and I am sure she has no illusions about her drug problem. She may feel ashamed and therefore be defensive or she may value your support. You said the childs father uses as well? Does he live with them? I don't have personal experience with smack myself but from what I have seen (my best mate lived with a long term heroin addict for 2 years and their friends and aquaintances), womens attempts to give up for the sake of their children are sometimes hampered by boyfriends who carry on using. All you can do is offer your support. If that wasn't heroin and you have got completely the wrong end of the stick she may be annoyed with you but I'm sure she will be able to understand your concerns. Sorry couldn't help more. Good Luck
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