What Is Liquid Heroin and How Do I Identify It?

In 2022, 32 deaths in Tampa, Florida, were associated with heroin. These are 32 members of our community whose lives were cut too short.

On a positive note, that number went down by 50% from 2021 to 2022. Still, any death due to heroin in our community is one too many.

At Real Recovery, we want to empower as many people as possible to live a life free of heroin. That’s why we offer the largest sober living community in the state of Florida.

Heroin is dangerous, no matter what form it comes in. But it’s important to know what the different forms look like so you can identify them. Today, we’re answering the question: What is liquid heroin?

Understanding What Liquid Heroin Is and How It’s Used

Heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid, which is derived from morphine. Morphine comes from the opium in poppy plants, which grow throughout Mexico, Columbia, and East Asia. The heroin bought and sold in Florida is usually made elsewhere and imported to port cities like Miami and Tampa. Heroin is usually bought as a white or brownish powder. Then, it can be turned into a liquid form.

Liquid heroin is heroin that is injected directly into the veins. The powder is combined with liquids and melted down so it can easily be injected directly into the bloodstream. Heroin that is injected this way has a fast-acting, powerful effect.

When liquid heroin is injected directly into a vein, the initial rush can be felt in as little as 7 seconds and lasts anywhere from about 30 seconds to a few minutes. When injected into a muscle, it takes a few minutes before the effects of the substance are felt. The effects of liquid heroin usually last a few hours. For people with heroin dependence, withdrawal symptoms will begin between 6 and 12 hours after the last use.

Are There Different Types of Liquid Heroin?

Liquid heroin typically refers to any heroin that has been mixed with water and melted down. There are specific types of heroin and other opioid-based substances, which are sometimes referred to as liquid heroin. It’s important to know what these substances are so you can identify them even if they don’t look like typical heroin.

Is Black Tar Heroin Liquid Heroin?

Black tar heroin, sometimes referred to as the black dragon in street slang, is a less pure form of heroin. Most heroin takes on a powder form and has been rigorously refined. Black tar heroin has not been as thoroughly refined and has more impurities than powder heroin. Black tar heroin comes in the form of a black, sticky substance. Because of its impurities, it is cheaper to make and to buy, but it’s still very strong.

Black tar heroin can be made into a liquid for injection, but it’s not as water-soluble as powder heroin. This means black tar heroin takes longer to turn into a liquid than the powder form does. Its sticky, tar-like nature puts it somewhere between the dry powder form of traditional heroin and the liquid form that heroin has after being melted down.

Because it’s not as water-soluble, black tar heroin is often smoked instead of being injected.

Is Lean a Form of Liquid Heroin?

Lean is a liquid combination of codeine-based cough syrup and soda. Sometimes, sugar or candy is added to make the taste more tolerable. Lean, commonly referred to as “purple drank” and “sizzurp,” does not typically contain actual heroin. However, it is a liquid drink with opioids that affects you the same way heroin does.

Lean is most commonly used by teenagers or other young people who want to experiment with opioids. When teens have access to a parent’s medicine cabinet or a local pharmacy, codeine is much easier to get than an illicit substance like heroin.

The effects of lean have a slower onset than liquid heroin does. Unfortunately, that does not make it safer. An opioid overdose can occur anytime someone takes more opioids than their body can handle, whether they take it as liquid heroin, black tar heroin, lean, a pill, or any other form.

How to Identify Liquid Heroin vs. Other Forms of Heroin

Liquid heroin is usually transparent. It could also have a brownish or amber tint, depending on the quality of the heroin before it’s melted down and the tools that are used to do so. When black heroin is turned into a liquid, it will maintain its dark coloring.

Unlike other forms of heroin, liquid heroin is smooth and fluid. It is usually kept in syringes or vials. If a person is trying to be inconspicuous, they might use opaque household bottles to store heroin. This could include shampoo or lotion bottles.

Often, heroin is kept in powder form until someone is ready to use it, then they will turn it into a liquid. Someone who is turning their powder heroin into liquid heroin will have paraphernalia (tools) to do so. This will include a lighter and a burnt spoon or bottle cap.

As stated above, most heroin begins as white, off-white, or brown powder. In its powder form, it is typically stored in small baggies that are easy to transport. If they don’t intend to turn it into a liquid, someone taking heroin will usually snort or smoke it. This will come with other tools. People who snort heroin, for example, will have a straw, rolled-up paper, or dollar bill as well as a smooth surface, like a mirror. People who smoke heroin will have tin foil and a lighter, or possibly even a pipe.

What Are the Effects of Liquid Heroin on the Body?

Liquid heroin has both short-term and long-term effects on the body. Being able to identify the symptoms of heroin use is necessary if you want to recognize signs that someone you love is taking heroin.

Immediately after heroin is consumed, the opioid in the substance attaches itself to opioid receptors in the brain, regardless of whether it is in a liquid or powder form. This creates a euphoric rush followed by a sense of relaxation.

In addition to this induced sense of well-being, there are other side effects. Common short-term effects of heroin include:

• Drowsiness
• Numbness
• Discoordination
• Poor cognitive functioning
• Suppressed immune system
• Decreased respiratory function

In the long term, heroin use has a serious impact on mental and physical health. These effects may differ slightly depending on if it is in powder or liquid form. For example, powder heroin that is snorted will have a more severe effect on the nasal passageways. The liquid heroin that is injected, on the other hand, is very hard on the veins. Injecting liquid heroin commonly results in track marks or sores at injection sights.

Long-term effects of heroin use commonly include:

• Damage to the renal system, including the liver and kidneys
• Heart problems, including muscle damage and infection of the heart lining
• Chronic respiratory infections
• Increased anxiety and depression
• Sleep disorders
• Sexual dysfunction
• Chronic constipation and other digestive issues.

What Are the Dangers of Liquid Heroin Overdose?

One of the major risks associated with liquid heroin is overdose. Over time, your body builds up a tolerance, requiring you to take more and more heroin to get the same results. Because of the impurities heroin is cut with, it’s impossible to really know the strength of each dose. Anytime someone takes more heroin than their body can handle, they risk experiencing an overdose.

Signs of a heroin overdose include blue-tinted skin, low heart rate, slowed or stopped breathing, excessive sweating, and gurgling noises. This stops oxygen from dispersing throughout the body, which can lead to brain damage or damage to other vital organs. If it goes untreated, a heroin overdose will result in death.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a heroin overdose, get medical attention immediately. Any opioid overdose can be treated using naloxone, which will reverse the effects.

Heroin Addiction Rehab Options in Tampa, FL

Heroin use disorder can have a severe impact on life, but recovery is always possible. If someone you love is living with heroin use disorder, talk to them about treatment for heroin addiction. They’ll work with a therapist who specializes in treating heroin use disorder and develop an understanding of the root causes of their addiction.

At Real Recovery, we know that recovery from heroin use disorder is a long-term commitment. That’s why we believe in setting our clients up for long-term success. We connect your loved one with resources, including SNAPs, employment opportunities, continuing education, gym memberships, and more. Call us at 813-373-6762 to learn more about how we can help today. 

Real people. Real solutions. Real results.