Homebake heroin
Opioid-related hospital admissions have increased by 60% and opiate-related admissions by 10% since 2004, Stuart Mills, coordinator at Drug Intelligence Bureau, says.
Worryingly, people between the ages of 14 and 24 have shown the highest increase.
“It’s young people who do not know the impact of opiate type addiction,” detective inspector Mills says.
They get hooked and don’t realise they are developing a heroin type addiction which has serious repercussions, the end result being placed on a methadone maintenance programme.
“It’s very difficult to get off once you’re on,” Mr Mills says.
Towards the end of 2005, New Zealand experienced a resurgence in the popularity of homebake heroin – a watered-down version of heroin. Mr Mills says this is again happening, and authorities are pointing out there is a new version of homebake on the market.
“It’s no different from the homebake heroin that was popular in the 80s and has been around for decades. It’s just in a different form and gaining traction with younger users, especially in the Canterbury district,” Mr Mills says.
Christchurch police say the new form of the drug is liquid homebake heroin sold in dots on a sheet of tinfoil, and the drug is then smoked off the foil – “spotting”.
Mr Mills says many young people are falling prey to dealers because smoking a drug is more appealing than injecting it. However, they don’t realise they are smoking a hard drug.
The availability is also a concern. Google “homebake heroin” and up pops an easy-to-follow recipe, perfect for young people wanting to make their own.
Mr Mills says having a recipe on the internet is not an offence, although following the recipe is an offence.
“It is an issue, but not just for homebake heroin, it is for all illicit drugs.”
Advice for pharmacy
Where customs officials have to deal with vast numbers of pseudoephedrine substances at our borders, codeine, the precursor to homebake heroin, is primarily bought in pharmacies.
Mr Mills says pharmacists need to be vigilant around the sale of codeine, and have the right to refuse a sale if there is a concern.
However, if they feel obliged to sell because of their own safety, and that of their staff, they should make the sale and then inform the police.
“Any identification information can be passed to the police. Note down identifying features and what they used to pay for the products.”
Mr Mills says information should also be shared among pharmacy networks.
“If you think people are pharmacy or doctor shopping, alert your fellow pharmacists.
“This is not a border issue like pseudoephedrine. Codeine is being purchased or prescribed domestically.” RN
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