Terminology
Various terms and expressions are used to describe heroin by the different groups of people who have an interest in the narcotics trade. There are the chemical terms used by qualified chem- ists, the legal terms used by lawyers and last, but not least, the terms used by those in the illicit business. Enforce- ment agencies are of course expected to be familiar with them all.
Heroin is an official synonym for diacetylmorphine (or diamorphine), but its base and its salt, diacetyl- morphine hydrochloride, are referred to as heroin in common everyday
usage.
The schedule of controlled substances in Hong Kong's Dangerous Drugs Ordinance includes 'diamorphine, its salts, esters and salts of esters'. This definition covers diacetylmorphine and monoacetylmorphine, both of which may occur as salts in No. 3 heroin.
In Hong Kong there are at present two different kinds of heroin. One is com- monly referred to as No. 3 heroin and the other as No. 4 heroin. No. 4 heroin is a fine white powder, generally con- taining no diluents or additives. The manufacturer's intention is to produce a 'pure' drug, although this type of heroin is not known to have been manufactured in Hong Kong since 1973.
Colloquial Term
Slang
Chemist's Description | Legal Description
Morphine Base
Powder
Morphine
Morphine
Pui (
胚 )
Morphine
Crude Morphine
999, Brick
Hydrochloride
Salt of morphine
Heroin Base
No. 3 Heroin (with barbitone)
No. 3 Heroin
No. 4 Heroin
Diacetylmorphine
Red Chicken Red Rock
Diacetylmorphine Hydrochloride
Esters of morphine
Salts of an ester of morphine
Pearl Chinese Heroin Rock Heroin Hong Kong Rock Brown Sugar
- ditto -
- ditto -
White
- ditto -
- ditto
No. 3 heroin on the other hand is not a pure drug but a 'cocktail' of various chemicals, the active ingredient being 'heroin'. No. 3 is not adulterated heroin any more than whisky is adul- terated alcohol. Various chemicals are added according to tradition to pro- duce a product that has a particular taste. Although the origin of the recipe is not clear it is closely followed by all who manufacture No. 3 heroin.
In the past there was a particular brand of No. 3 heroin to which barbi- tone had been added as an extra dil- uent. This heroin was usually dyed red for ease of recognition and was called 'Red Chicken' or 'Red Rock'. It has not appeared locally for several years. Occasionally, heroin is produced which is either adulterated No. 4 or unusually pure No. 3. Such heroin is discussed in detail in the section on Variations in the Manufacture of Heroin.
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