Shadow Mountain Recovery Intensive Outpatient Center in Albuquerque, NM, has recently published a blog post on how to identify heroin from other types of opioids. This is important because most heroin overdose deaths in New Mexico are due to opioids that are similar to heroin, but it can be difficult to really know what substances a particular individual is taking. Even experienced drug dealers won’t be able to tell when heroin has been mixed with another drug because it can’t be detected by human senses. The article is designed to help those who have a loved one managing substance use with regard to heroin identification.

A spokesperson for the intensive outpatient center says, “When attempting to identify an opioid, it is not always obvious which substance you are dealing with. In recent years, mixing fentanyl with other substances without a buyer’s knowledge has become common. This happens because fentanyl is inexpensive to manufacture and highly potent. When a person purchases heroin or another substance, they may get a mixture including fentanyl. Fentanyl is more potent than other opioids. Using heroin mixed with fentanyl is dangerous because a person may take their usual dose only to find that it is a much more potent substance than they are used to. This can lead to overdose. There is no way to distinguish if fentanyl is mixed with heroin with a person’s senses.”

At the present time, fentanyl test strips may be purchased legally in New Mexico. These strips can tell the person if there is fentanyl in the heroin. Heroin is available in various colors. White heroin is considered to be the purest and safest, but it may also be mixed with other substances, including sugar, baking soda, fentanyl, or cocaine. White heroin is usually inhaled or injected. Brown heroin is much less expensive than white heroin because it doesn’t require special equipment for its production. It is less potent than white heroin and it is difficult to dissolve it in water, which is why it is usually smoked. Lastly, there is black tar heroin, which is the least pure. It can be black, dark brown, or orange in color. It is hard as a rock and is usually sticky. Heroin identification is important for people to know exactly what they are putting inside their bodies.

Some are easy to identify by just looking at them. It is also possible to determine the substance being used through the associated paraphernalia. For instance, those who use meth often have a spoon and lighter with them. However, certain substances, such as fentanyl, are tasteless and odorless, and can’t be identified with certainty without lab testing. Heroin is also difficult to detect through a drug test although it is still possible. It is usually detected in blood and saliva tests within five to six hours after heroin use. Urine tests can detect it for up to two days afterward, and a hair follicle test can be used to detect heroin up to three months after the last use.

Launched in 2006, Shadow Mountain Recovery provides several recovery centers for individuals struggling with an addiction. They can provide the appropriate programming for every level of addiction treatment and later on, offer ongoing support for the affected person. Their well-rounded therapy solution has allowed people to come up with new life patterns by using effective therapeutic approaches combined with the philosophy of the 12 Step recovery method. In addition, the patients engage in physical and recreational activities for self-expression. Their recovery centers are focused on providing safe and effective treatment methods for people struggling with an addiction, prescription drug addiction, and substance use disorder; with and without co-occurring mental health disorders.

Those who are interested in knowing more about heroin addiction treatment and other related services can check out the Shadow Mountain Recovery Intensive Outpatient Center website or contact them on the telephone or via email. They are open 24 hours a day, every day of the week.

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For more information about Shadow Mountain Recovery Intensive Outpatient Center, contact the company here:

Shadow Mountain Recovery Intensive Outpatient Center
505-361-2634
info@shadowmountainrecovery.com
7005 Prospect Place NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87110