HEROIN IN THE UNITED-KINGDOM - DIFFERENT FORMS, DIFFERENT ORIGINS, AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO DIFFERENT ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION

Heroin exists in the United Kingdom in several different forms, which vary not only in their country of origin and purity, but also in their suitability for use by either injecting or by 'chasing the dragon', T he availability of these different forms of heroin has varied consider ably over time, A review of the characteristics and availability of th ese various forms of heroin in recent years is presented, accompanied by consideration of their probable intended use by injection or by 'ch asing the dragon', Samples of black market heroin in the salt form are usually used by injection, whereas the base form is usually taken by 'chasing the dragon', The heroin yield to the drug user from samples o f heroin taken by 'chasing the dragon' varies according to its base or salt format and according to the presence of other drugs in the sampl e, Heroin samples from different countries of production mostly confor m. to either base or salt form, Novel approaches at the macro level to prevention and control of heroin-related problems through influence u pon this complex heroin market-place should now be considered.