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The Re-Engineering of Heroin: An Emerging Heroin “Cutting” Trend in New York City

The objective of this paper is to identify and to make sense out of changes in the use of adulterants and diluents found in samples of street bags of heroin collected in New York City. An analysis of the ratio of adulterants to diluents was conducted. Findings indicate that a change in the ratio of adulterants to diluents has occurred, notably, an increase in the use of adulterants from 1991-1996. This suggests that foreign producer/distributors and retail sellers are cutting heroin to psychaoctively enhance its' effect. One of the adulterants used (theophylline) has the capability of enhancing the intranasal absorption of heroin into the bloodstream; thereby enhancing the “high” of heroin and possibly hastening dependency. These findings are based on an analysis of 406 chemical assays of street bags of heroin purchased by informants for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Domestic Monitor Purities (DMP) program. In addition, ethnographic observations of injecting drug users (IDUs) and interviews with street dealers are utilized to augment forensic analysis. Change in the ratio of adulterants to diluents has implications for the marketing of heroin and may have medical and health consequences for heroin users.