Quality of heroin and heroin-related deaths from 1987 to 1995 in Vienna, Austria

Aims. To investigate the quality of heroin seized in Vienna between 1987 an d 1995 and to examine whether there was a relationship between the quality of heroin and the rate of drug-related deaths. Design. Reports of heroin se izure analysis and post-mortem reports of heroin-related deaths in Vienna f rom 1987 to 1995 were analysed. Results. There were 386 seizures of heroin comprising a total weighs of 25 640.12 g heroin. All the seizures were in t he base form. All seizures also contained a diluent, mainly lactose. Additi onally, in 95 seizures caffeine, in four seizures paracetamol and in three seizures metaqualon were detected. Of a total of 764 drug-related deaths 50 6 cases were classified as heroin-related deaths. In 336 cases other centra l nervous system-depressant drugs and/or alcohol could be detected in the b lood in addition to morphine (polydrug heroin-related deaths). There was ev idence of a trend rewards greater polydrug involvement during the study per iod. The age of victims of polydrug heroin-related deaths remained unchange d over time while the age of victims of pure heroin-related deaths decrease d significantly. The morphine concentration in the medulla oblongata in her oin-related deaths decreased significantly. Finally, there was no statistic ally significant relationship between the rate of heroin-related deaths per year and the diacetylmorphine concentration of heroin seizures in that yea r. Conclusion. The results did not substantiate the widely held belief that increases in heroin-related deaths could be explained by an increase in th e quality of heroin.