What Is Heroin Rock?

Heroin typically comes in two forms. There is a powder form, which can be white, off-white, or brown. And there is black tar heroin, which is hard and sticky and dark.

Black tar heroin can sometimes be referred to as heroin rock, because of its tendency to come in hard, sticky, rock-like nuggets.

The powder form of heroin can also form into hard rocks, usually when it is exposed to low levels of moisture. When this happens, the texture of powder heroin appears more granular.

Any type of heroin use can result in serious health issues, including heroin addiction and overdose.

Types Of Heroin Rock

Any type of heroin can become heroin rock, though there are types of heroin that are more likely to become heroin rock.

Much of it has to do with how the heroin is manufactured, though all heroin gets its start as a natural opiate from poppy plants in Asia and South America.

Black Tar Heroin

Black tar heroin is the type of heroin that is most commonly found in rock form, and this is usually the type that someone means if they refer to “heroin rock.”

This type of heroin can either be sticky and gooey or it can be in a more solid rock-like form that can resemble a lump of coal.

Black tar heroin can also be referred to by the slang term “smack.”

White Powder Heroin

The whiter the powder heroin is, the purer it is said to be. Because of this, it is not common to find white powder heroin in rock form.

It is very rare to find pure heroin in rock form. It has usually been so heavily refined that it lacks the moisture to form into rocks.

However, white powder heroin that contains many additives and is lower in purity does have the ability to form into rocks, as it has more chances to be exposed to moisture during handling.

Brown Powder Heroin

Brown powder heroin commonly contains food additives, which have a tendency to clump over time and with more handling.

For this reason, brown powder heroin can often appear clumpy and granular and form small nuggets or rocks.

How Is Heroin Rock Used?

Heroin rock can be used in the same ways as other types of heroin, though sometimes a little more work is involved in order to prepare the heroin rock to be usable by different methods.

Snorting Heroin Rock

Heroin rock can be crushed up into a fine powder and then snorted through the nostrils using a straw.

In the case of black tar heroin, a type of additional powder is usually added to the crushed-up black tar in order to make it less sticky and easier to snort.

Additive powders can be food products such as flour, coffee creamer, sugar, or baking powder.

Injecting Heroin Rock

Heroin rock can also be dissolved into a liquid form and then injected directly into a vein or muscle using a heroin needle.

Injecting is often the preferred method for using heroin rock, as it delivers the fastest and most intense high.

Smoking Heroin Rock

Heroin rocks can also be smoked in a similar way to how crack cocaine rocks are smoked. This type of smoking can also be referred to as inhaling.

In the case of inhaling heroin rock, the heroin is placed on tin foil, heated from below, and then inhaled through a straw.

Dangers And Risks Of Heroin Rock

Like all types of heroin, using heroin rock comes with a lot of dangers and risks.

Long-Term Health Risks Of Heroin Rock

Heroin use is associated with a lot of long-term health risks, such as kidney disease and hypotension (low blood pressure), especially when used intravenously.

Long-term effects of heroin from intravenous (IV) use can include skin infections, heroin abscesses, wound botulism, and collapsed veins.

Exposure To High Potency Opioids

In recent years, it is becoming more and more common to lace heroin with dangerous synthetic opioids and other prescription drugs, most notably fentanyl.

Fentanyl is an extremely potent opioid that is typically prescribed for severe pain after other painkillers have failed.

Heroin Addiction

A person can build up a tolerance and dependence on heroin rock very quickly, both of which can also lead to heroin addiction.

A person who is addicted to heroin might engage in risky behaviors or actions in order to satisfy their dependency.

Risk Of Overdose

Heroin rock comes with an increased risk of overdose, especially because it is most often used intravenously.

People who shoot heroin tend to take more frequent doses, because the high experienced this way is more intense but also much shorter than when snorted or smoked.

This behavior is very risky, however, and greatly increases the risk of a heroin overdose with each new dose taken.

Heroin Addiction Treatment

An addiction to heroin can be incredibly dangerous, with the longer a person continues to use, the more their chances of overdose increase.

Professional treatment programs can provide support and a variety of services to help people who are caught in the dangerous cycle of addiction and relapse.

Detoxification

Detox for heroin use typically involves the use of FDA-approved medications known as opioid replacement therapy drugs.

These drugs can include methadone and buprenorphine. These drugs are also opioids and can be addictive, so anyone taking them should be monitored closely by their treatment providers.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Dual diagnosis treatment is very common to find at drug and alcohol rehab centers because it is effective when used to treat addiction.

This type of treatment focuses on co-occurring behavioral health and mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, and eating disorders.

Finding Substance Abuse Disorder Treatment For Heroin Addiction Today

An addiction to heroin rock or any type of heroin is dangerous and incredibly worrisome for the loved ones of the person who is addicted.

Many recovery centers are accepting new clients currently and are ready to get you started as soon as today. Call our helpline to find an alcohol and drug use treatment center in your area.