Heroin purity and composition in Sydney, Australia
Lisa Maher*, Wendy Swift**, and Michael Dawson
Drug and Alcohol Review (2001) 20
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Abstract Heroin purity and composition in Sydney, Australia Lisa Maher*, Wendy Swift**, and Michael Dawson Drug and Alcohol Review (2001) 20 |
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| The authors analyzed the
pharmacological properties of heroin available for retail sale in Sydney
on the premise that drug-related harm reduction programs in general, and
interventions designed to facilitate heroin injection to smoking
require careful consideration of the pharmacological factors associated
with the route of administration. The results of their analysis suggest
that their premise is valid. A retrospective sampling frame was constructed consisting of all suspected heroin seizures in Cabramatta between October 1998 and March 1997. n = 487. Thirty-three street-level "exhibits", consisting of 88 samples, were selected for analysis. Ion chromatography was used to assess whether heroin was present as freebase or hydrochloride (or other salt). High performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection was used to assess the presence of diacetylmorphine hydrochloride (heroine hydrochloride , O - 6 monoacetylmorphine hydrochloride (degradation project) and acetyleodeine hydrochloride (synthesis byproduct). Gas chromatography/mass spectagraphy with refractive index detection were used to detect adulterants and diluents. All samples contained heroin as the hydrochloride salt, No heroin free base was detected. The mean purity was 66%. Eighty-five percent of the samples had an average purity of at least 50%. The adulterants detected were either pharmacologically active to improve the bioavailability of heroin HCL, or pharmacologically inactive diluents primarily used to add bulk (sugars). None of the adulterants were harmful. |
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* School of Public Health and Community Medicine,
University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia ** NDARK, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia *** Department of Chemistry, Minerals, and Forensic Science, University of Technology, NSW 2007, Australia Abstract by Gordon Nary |
Policing and Public Health:
Law Enforcement and Harm
Minimization in a Street-level Drug Market
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