Beware of Cheese Heroin

Just when you thought you had enough to worry about, enter Cheese Heroin. The thing you need to remember about drugs is that it's big business. There's always something new on the horizon. Here's the latest.

Cheese Heroin is black tar heroin, which has been combined with the antihistamine diphenhydramine that is found in Tylenol PM. Makers of the drug crush over the counter cold medication. This powder is then snorted, not injected like pure heroin would be. This alternate delivery method makes it an easier way to introduce the drug to your children. It has been dubbed "starter heroin" by authorities because of its low cost and ease of use.

Kids will use a small straw or even a ballpoint pen to snort the drug, so watch for these used items around the house as possible clues.

This drug gets the name cheese because the powder is sold inside a piece of paper, which has been folded to create a packet, sometimes into a triangular shape. However, it can also be sold in a plastic bag.

There can be 2% - 8% pure heroin in Cheese. An 8% purity level may cause addiction to heroin the very first time the drug is used.

Cheese can cost as little as $2 a dose.

Cheese Heroin use has been prevalent in Dallas, Texas and the surrounding areas where, according to Dallas Police, up to 21 teenagers had died of an overdose of the drug from 2005 to early 2007. During the 2005-06 school year, there were over 200 arrests related to the heroin mixture within the Dallas Independent School District.

• Drowsiness
• Lethargy
• Euphoria
• Excessive thirst
• Disorientation
• Hunger
• Sudden changes in behavior, grades, friends

So what do we do? It's up to us to arm our kids with information and set clear boundaries. You've got to get them to talk to you about what they're hearing at school, on their cell phones, in chat rooms. Look for opportunities to comment on the effects of drug use and especially how to recognize offers of drugs. Kids need to understand it's not going to be as simple as saying no to "drugs". Cheese Heroin is proof that drugs don't have to seem scary to pose real danger.

Wikipedia details individual cases of deaths attributed to Cheese.

Office of National Drug Control Policy

One mother speaks out.

Users are young, according to Dallas drug rehabilitation centers.

More Reading:

Beware of Strawberry Meth

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Persuade Your Teen to Eat a Healthy Breakfast

How to Know if Your Kids Are Huffing

The Truth About Pharm Parties