Many states across America are being hard hit by the ongoing opioid crisis. Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the number of overdose deaths has increased. One of the main reasons for this is that there’s an ever-growing amount of synthetic heroin (a.k.a. “designer drugs”) for sale. This is a synthetic form of furanylfentanyl. While fentanyl is a prescription medication, that’s used for severe pain, it’s growing in popularity as an illegal drug. This is because it’s 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
Today, they use fentanyl in the manufacturing of what’s known as China white heroin. This has become a popular substitute for traditional heroin because it’s inexpensive to make and you only need to take a small amount to get the desired effect. Those addicted to it either snort or inject this powder. Sometimes they also quickly overdose on it.
What is China White Heroin?
Throughout the years, many types of fentanyl analogs have existed. When you look at a history of the term China white heroin (a.k.a., heroin, fentanyl, furanyl), go back to the 60s when they coined the term to describe the heroin that was brought to the United States from China. This became a slang term in the early 80s. In the 80s it was merely another name for heroin.
Today, with the emergence of synthetic drugs, the term has taken on a whole new meaning. Counterfeit fentapills and China white are just a few of the “designer drugs” in this category. Others include synthetic drugs that are laced with opioids (e.g., fentanyl, furanyl, carfentanil).
The dangers of synthetic drugs are so many types exist, all of which contain many chemicals. Therefore, it’s difficult to get reliable information on synthetic drugs vs research chemicals. Since many people that are addicted to China white are unaware of what they’re using, recreational use is also much more dangerous.
Fentanyl Analogs and China White Heroin
Furanyl fentanyl is the most common drug sold as China white heroin. It’s a synthetic opioid that’s derived from fentanyl (an opioid pain killer most emergency rooms have). Some of the other chemicals that are commonly found in this drug include 3-methylfentanyl and acetyl fentanyl.
These result from contamination during the production of fentanyl but dealers sell it because it appears purer. Sometimes they’ll even lace heroin with China white so it’s more potent, but this increases the risk of overdosing.
Is China White Heroin Dangerous?
There are many adverse effects of China white heroin. Introduced in 1988, China white contains fentanyl, which is why it causes so many overdose deaths. When compared to other drugs, fentanyl is much more dangerous. This is because it’s 50 – 100 times more potent than morphine – so potent that you shouldn’t even touch it. During the COVID pandemic issues with fentanyl have become even more prevalent than they were before.
The reason there are so many overdoses on this drug is that it has serious effects on your body, especially in its synthetic form. These effects are almost immediate and you can feel them even in small doses. Since China white heroin is an opioid, it can suppress your breathing to the point it’s lethal.
Other complications and overdoses occur because of China white heroin’s contamination by other dangerous chemicals (e.g., fentanyl). When someone overdoses on this, it causes serious complications. Even those who are high on the drug when entering the emergency room present as only being high on an opioid. The symptoms are more complex though since fentanyl derivatives are much more powerful. When paired with other substances, especially depressants (e.g., alcohol, benzos) it’s likely to cause you to pass out and stop breathing.
What are the Side Effects of China White Heroin?
Many people like the feelings they get when they take China white. This is because they get the rush from both the heroin and the fentanyl it’s laced with. Since the fentanyl binds itself to your brain’s opioid receptors (the part that’s responsible for controlling your pain and emotions) you’ll experience feelings of extreme happiness.
Of course, heroin will also create these feelings of euphoria, but it will also change how you think and your sense of feeling, too. The way this drug affects your brain and your nervous system causes these changes.
Now you may think, “Who wouldn’t feel great taking this drug for a little while?” Not so fast! These are actually things that you don’t want to experience. This is because there are many unpleasant side effects that you’ll also experience once you start abusing it, including:
- Gastrointestinal problems, including nausea, constipation, and vomiting
- Changes in heart rate
- A heavy feeling in your arms and legs
- Fainting
- Dry mouth
- Prolonged fatigue
- Flushed skin
- Severe itching
- Sedation
- Insomnia
- Increased likelihood of developing a mood disorder (e.g., depression, anxiety, confusion, paranoia, changes in personality)
- Impaired immune system
- Hallucinations
The Dangers of China White Heroin and Fentanyl Analogs
Even small doses of China white have an almost immediate effect on the body. However, there are some truly lethal side effects, including:
- It can depress a person’s breathing. This means that their breathing may become shallow, slow, difficult, and possibly even stop.
- When combined with another central nervous system (CNS) depressant (e.g., alcohol, benzos, antidepressant medications) it can also rapidly depress the CNS to a deadly level.
- Your blood pressure may decrease to where you have a weak pulse.
- The drug also has lethal effects on your central nervous system (CNS). Here, it can create a sense of delirium (a.k.a., confusion) or disorientation so severe a person may become suicidal. It can also cause you to go into a coma.
What is the Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders?
When you’re in the throes of addiction, your search for a treatment center can feel overwhelming. Sure, there are lots of ads that sound great, but there are some things you’ll want to look for so you know you’re not being misled by empty promises.
Start by ensuring that the clinicians who are working with you have a master of psychology degree. Once you’re sure the clinician has the proper degree, look at their licenses. Many clinicians hold licenses in specific types of therapy or diagnoses. Take these into consideration when trying to determine what facility would be a good fit for you.
Questions to Ask before Admitting to a Rehab
When you’ve narrowed it down to a few places that feel as though they offer good therapists, look at the facility itself. Make sure that they’re using evidence-based treatment modalities that are proven to work (e.g., Medication Assisted Therapy or MAT, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy or CBT).
You’ll also want to make sure that they have a gold rating from the Joint Commission. This is a nationally recognized performance measurement. It ensures that the facility is implementing standardized performance measures. Divine Detox proudly holds accreditations from the Joint Commission, CARF, LegitScripts, and other national organizations as well.
Since everyone’s addiction is unique, what works for you may not work for someone else. This is something that’s vital to remember when you’re searching for the right treatment facility to help you with your recovery. A facility that understands this is one that will have you undergo an evaluation upon your arrival. Doing so will enable them to create a unique treatment plan that’s tailored to meet the needs of your specific situation.
What are China White Heroin Prices vs Other Opioids?
There’s no doubt that society pays a heavy price for drugs. However, you may want to know this price on a more personal level. You may want to know how much your loved one is paying for China white and the other opioids they may use.
Regardless of where you live in the United States, the cost of China white heroin will depend on its quality. While someone may initially get some pure heroin, it’s cut many times before hitting the streets. Each time that it’s cut, another person enters the process. Similar to having too many cooks in the kitchen, too many people touching the drug means that ultimately you can’t be sure of what you’ll receive. Of course, this not only affects the price but also affects how the body will react when you take the drug.
There have been some reports that the current price of one ounce of pure heroin is between $3,000-4000, while you may only pay between $700 – $1,000 for an ounce of black tar heroin. However, by the time you get your hands on bag of China white heroin, it’ll only cost $15 – $20.
This is because dealers cut it with $3,500 (over one kilogram) worth of fentanyl, which is what makes it so deadly. With this amount of fentanyl, you can also see the greed and complete disregard dealers have for human life.
While Mexican tar heroin typically comes in a plastic bag or balloon, China white typically comes in a wax bag (a.k.a., stamp). It’ll have a brand stamped on the front of it so that dealers can distinguish between the various batches. The consistency of tar heroin is also vastly different from the typical powdered nature of China White, although ‘black tar’ can also be adulterated with fentanyl, and is not considered anuy more than daee.
Can You Get Addicted to China White Heroin?
Many people consider China white heroin an epidemic within a pandemic. This is because of how addictive this drug is. To understand its addictiveness, it’s important to look at how the substance works in the body.
China white is like other opioids in how it sends out chemicals that attach to your brain’s opioid receptors. When this happens, you’ll experience an increase in the neurotransmitter dopamine in your brain so you’ll no longer feel any pain. Instead, you’ll experience a sense of euphoria.
The longer someone takes China white, the more of the drug you’ll need to take in order to obtain the same effect. It doesn’t help that you’ll also experience an ever-increasing desire for more of the drug.
Unfortunately, these urges are so strong they make you feel like the drug is a biological necessity. This is because your body becomes dependent on the drug to activate the release of dopamine or else you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms (e.g., dysphoria, the inability to feel pleasure). When this happens, you get caught up in a vicious cycle that you’ll need professional help to break.
How is China White Addiction Treated?
Before treating someone for a China white addiction, you’ll want to know the symptoms. How can you know for sure that someone has an addiction? Some symptoms that you should watch for when you believe that someone has a China white addiction include:
- Pain relief
- A rush of pleasurable feelings
- Severe itching
- Nausea or vomiting
- Drowsiness or sleepiness
- Shallow breathing
- Narrowing of the pupils (pinpoint pupils)
If you’re familiar with the effects of heroin, you may recognize that the effects of China white are quite similar. The only actual difference is that dealers will typically cut China white with furanyl fentanyl. This makes China white 50 times more potent than pure heroin and it’s also why people who use it will tell you they feel an immediate “rush” (a surge of a pleasurable sensation) when they take the drug. Of course, the rush will vary depending upon the amount of the drug the person used. The euphoric feeling will be there for the next four to six hours after getting high.
What is Medication Assisted Treatment?
When you’re addicted to China white, you have a more severe issue than with heroin addiction. This is because of just how potent the drug is. Because of this extreme potency, it’s extremely difficult and dangerous (possibly even lethal) to stop taking the drug “cold turkey.” This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get help for your addiction.
The best course of action is always to stop addiction in its tracks. To accomplish this, you should seek professional help for your addiction, as this will increase your likelihood of recovering.
Due to the extreme potency of this drug, there are a lot of people who overdose on it. Some of the warning signs of an overdose include:
- Snoring or gurgling sounds
- Slowed or stopped breathing
- Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness
- Discolored lips or fingernails
- Cold or clammy skin
Overdose Risks and China White Heroin
Because of the dangers of Fentanyl, Carfentanil and overdose, it’s important to undergo detox in a medically managed facility where you’ll have continual physical and mental support to ensure your safety and comfort throughout detox.
The facility will also be able to manage your intense, unpredictable symptoms, severe cravings, and physical and psychological changes. There, professionals can also monitor you for fentanyl overdose risks and keep you safe throughout the entire process, which typically lasts between three days and one week.
After Detox, What Happens Next?
Once you complete detox, it’s recommended that you enroll in either a residential rehab program or an intensive outpatient treatment program. This is especially true if you also have a mental health issue that needs to be addressed, as this issue probably lies at the root of your addiction.
They customize these programs to fit your unique needs. They include essential, evidence-based approaches to addiction treatment (e.g., psychotherapy, individual counseling, group counseling, group support, education). The tools you’ll learn here will enable you to sustain long-term sobriety, embrace wellness, and enjoy life.
It’s important to get help for your addiction before things get out of control. When you take China white heroin regularly, you’re likely to overdose on it at some point. This happens when you take too much of the substance at a level that’s toxic to your body. Since they commonly lace China white with many other chemicals such as fentanyl, you may not even know exactly what drugs you’re taking.
Reduce Your Risk of Overdose: Get into Recovery Now!
When this happens, you’re not only more likely to overdose, but it’s also more difficult to spot whether you’re taking a lethal amount of the drug. If you’re around someone who you think may be overdosing, it’s better to assume that they are so you can save their life.
Overdose symptoms may occur anywhere up to a few minutes after using the drug. It’s important to understand that the victim may seem fine right before the symptoms climax. Therefore, when you believe that someone is overdosing, administer Naloxone (a.k.a., Narcan) immediately. This is a fast-acting, FDA-approved medication that blocks an overdose’s effects by binding the opioid receptors. You should also call for help immediately.
Setting the Foundation for Recovery at Divine Detox
It’s also important to get your loved one into rehab for their addiction as soon as possible. We believe rehab sets the foundation for recovery. Therefore, our professionals commit themselves to provide you with the tools and support you need so you can achieve long-lasting sobriety.
At Divine Detox, we will create a program that’s tailor-fit to meet your specific needs. This includes evidence-based approaches to treating addiction (e.g, individual therapy, group counseling, education). Treatment doesn’t end when you leave our facility, though. We’ll continue to support you in your continued commitment to sobriety. So, if you’re struggling with an addiction to China white, take the first step towards your recovery: Contact us today.