1 - National Criminal Justice Reference Service

EuCllliW! Summary: Heroin
Area ' "'AdmlSsloMC96l ' 'Rank III Data rlDOfted
Chicago 14 3 b FY 1991
Detroit 16 2' FY 1991
Mlnneaoolls/St. Paul 4 3 b , 191-6/91
New Orleans S 3 b 1/91-3/91
St. Louis N/A NIR NIR
Texas 22 2" 9/90-10/91
• Follows cocaine
b Follows cocaine and marijuana
Among the Detroit admissions, 52 percent reported injection use, while 31 percent reported
intranasal use or inhalation. Thirty percent of lllillOis admissions for opiate dependence reflect
intranasal use as a primary route of administration.
The typical Texas heroin client is 35 years old and has been using for 14 years; of these clients,
48 percent are Hispanic, 24 percent are employed, 75 percent live with their families, and 5
percent are homeless. In New Orleans, among the 163 heroin clients, 47 percent were white
males, 23 percent were black males, 8 percent were black females, and 22 percent were white
females. In Detroit, the majority of heroin clients are in the 30-44 age group, and the number
of female clients has inr,;.reased.
Table 15 preSents price and purity information for the ~on. Purity has been increasing since
1988 in Detroit, which is changing ,from a user site to a supplier site for surrounding areas.
Although heroin availability is limited in the New Orleans area, it is reportedly found in and
around large project areas; prices remain stable. In Chicago, brown heroin street prices are
stable following an increase; users seem to be shifting from poor-quality brown to more potent
varieties; black tar heroin, referred to as -brown crystal· or • chicle, 01 has declined in
availability; white heroin is. reported to be increasingly available and of high quality, making
it much stronger and more addictive; and • karachi ,• a potent variety intended for intranasal use,
has increased in availability and use. Some mus, however, report injecting karachi after
dissolving it with lemon juice. While karachi accounts for an increase in heroin snorting, white
and brown heroin are also increasingly snorted by cocaine users seeking to moderate the
stimulant effects of coc:a.ine. If this trend continues, a pool of new opiate users could develop
in Chicago.
Texas heroin seizures are down since 1990 7 but prices are slightly higher. In MinneapolislSt.
Paul, black tar has resumed its stronghold a~ the predominant type of ~vailable heroin; brown
and white powder are once again extremely rare; and injection remains the preferred route of
administration. In St. Louis, heroin purity is increasing, while prices have dropped-a
24 CEWG December 1991
49