Heroin Rock: What Is It?

Heroin comes in different textures and colors. Each one comes with the risk of heroin abuse and addiction.

Often, heroin looks like:

• a white powder
• a brown powder
• an off-white powder
• a dark liquid

Heroin rock is an additional type of heroin that resembles small rocks.

Heroin can be soft and powdery, but it can also be granular. When the texture is granular, it can clump into nuggets, or “rocks.”

Types Of Heroin Rock

There are different types and purity levels of heroin. Each type may form a heroin rock.

Black Tar Heroin

Black tar heroin may also be called rock heroin. This type of heroin contains many impurities and may look like a sticky or hard lump of coal rather than a powder.

When people refer to rock heroin, they’re often referring to the hard, coal-like type of black tar heroin.

Pure Heroin

Pure heroin is white and shiny. It’s also extremely potent, and its potency comes with increased risks.

Though it usually comes in powder form, pure heroin can sometimes come in small rocks.

Cut Heroin

Often, heroin is “cut” with another substance. These substances are often food additives, such as sugar or lactose.

If moisture gets into the mixture, the heroin may form rock-like clumps.

How Is Heroin Rock Used?

A heroin rock can be used in several ways. Often, people crush the rock into a powder before using it.

Snorting Heroin Rock

After being ground into a powder, heroin rock can be snorted.

With this method, a person may use heroin paraphernalia tools such as straws or other thin tubes to inhale the drug through the nose.

Injecting Heroin Rock

Heroin rock can also be dissolved into water and injected. Most often, people who use this method inject heroin into their veins. However, in some cases, people also inject it into a muscle.

Water Looping Heroin Rock

Once heroin rock is liquified, it can be dropped directly into a person’s nostrils. A person may use an eyedropper for precision.

Vaporizing Heroin Rock

Vaporizing doesn’t require a person to crush the rock into powder.

During this process, the heroin rock is placed on a piece of foil. Then, the foil is heated from underneath, usually with a lighter. The vapors are then inhaled through a thin straw or tube.

Effects Of Heroin Rock

All forms of heroin come with health-related risks.

These risks include:

• slowed heart rate
• slowed breathing
• collapsed veins (if injected)
• tissue damage
• abscesses
• liver and kidney disease
• mental health disorders
• coma

Find Addiction Help At Spring Hill Recovery Center

Heroin comes with a high risk of addiction, but it can be treated.

Spring Hill Recovery Center uses personalized treatment programs that help people overcome addiction and regain emotional wellness.

If you or a loved one have a heroin addiction, call Spring Hill Recovery Center to learn more about substance abuse recovery options in Massachusetts.