I don’t think so—acetic anhydride is really the only other reagent involved in the step we’re considering, and an excess wouldn’t be harmful in any way… except, possibly, making the product a bit uncomfortable to ingest, if too much acetic acid was left over. (An excess of acetic anhydride is commonly used so as to make sure all the morphine reacts; any excess will become acetic acid—i.e., vinegar—as well.) It’s common for a little to be left over, giving heroin its characteristic (vinegar-y) smell, but I don’t think it’s dangerous.
So I’d say that there’s no danger here… but lack of quality control in general is definitely a big problem indeed.
I don’t know about other cities, but I’ve used heroin in NYC off and on for almost 5 years, and I can safely say that, although I attempted to control for nutrition etc., I almost always had some deleterious effects on my skin etc. from (presumably) additives, even using “pure” stuff. If you’re taking something in intravenously, very pure is not pure enough.
It’s definitely not as dangerous as people act like, though. You can control dose if you’re careful and it’s not instantly addictive or anything like that. I actually was badly physically addicted and although withdrawal is the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever felt, it’s doable.
I don’t think so—acetic anhydride is really the only other reagent involved in the step we’re considering, and an excess wouldn’t be harmful in any way… except, possibly, making the product a bit uncomfortable to ingest, if too much acetic acid was left over. (An excess of acetic anhydride is commonly used so as to make sure all the morphine reacts; any excess will become acetic acid—i.e., vinegar—as well.) It’s common for a little to be left over, giving heroin its characteristic (vinegar-y) smell, but I don’t think it’s dangerous.
So I’d say that there’s no danger here… but lack of quality control in general is definitely a big problem indeed.
I don’t know about other cities, but I’ve used heroin in NYC off and on for almost 5 years, and I can safely say that, although I attempted to control for nutrition etc., I almost always had some deleterious effects on my skin etc. from (presumably) additives, even using “pure” stuff. If you’re taking something in intravenously, very pure is not pure enough.
It’s definitely not as dangerous as people act like, though. You can control dose if you’re careful and it’s not instantly addictive or anything like that. I actually was badly physically addicted and although withdrawal is the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever felt, it’s doable.