Adulterants in Drugs

The types of adulterants in drugs are not often measured and reported. Though the public generally recognizes that illicit substances are harmful, the focus of drug-prevention efforts is rarely on the harmful substances added to produce or cut the drugs, which often are the cause of medical emergency that results in overdose or death for many users.¹

According to a report published in the journal Drug Testing and Analysis, adulterants are added for a number of reasons including the following:

Although illicit substances are deadly on their own, increased purity does not equal increased safety. In fact, it is the fluctuation of purity in drugs sold on the street that often contributes to the overdose deaths of users. The toxic chemicals added can be just as harmful to users as the drug they are combined with.

Adulterants in Crystal Meth

A synthetic substance, crystal meth³ is entirely made up of chemicals—both those used to create the drug itself and to cut it. Every dealer has his or her own method of production and chooses active ingredients based on efficacy, cost and availability.

Pseudoephedrine was the active ingredient of choice for a long time because it was legally available over the counter and therefore readily accessible. However, in 2012, the US imposed laws to control the distribution of the substance and in order to decrease illegal production. Seizures of the drug and lab busts dropped significantly as a result, and the rates of abuse of crystal meth dropped as well. However, the rate of use is again on the rise because of new ways to produce the drug and smuggling from other countries.³

Contaminants in Heroin and Cocaine

One of the chemicals used to process plant-based heroin is acetic anhydride. The U.S. is leading the world to try to stop the production and use of this substance. Though heroin has become increasingly pure in the past few years, it is still never found in its pure form on the street. The risk of deadly bacteria in heroin is significantly higher than in other substances of abuse. Methods of storage for transportation can often lead to contamination, and the user may end up injecting botulism or a flesh-eating bacteria because the drug was improperly stored.

Potassium permanganate is commonly used in the production of cocaine in order to remove impurities.⁴ Unlike acetic anhydride in the production of heroin, there are legitimate uses for potassium permanganate, which make it difficult to ban. However, it is commonly combined with pseudoephedrine to create methcathinone, which is an illegal synthetic stimulant. Drug producers often work around the law to smuggle the substance into the country.

A chemical called levamisole is one of the most common adulterants in cocaine. The substance has been linked with agranulocytosis, a condition characterized by a lack of white blood cells and an inability of the immune system to defend against infection.⁴

Legal Monitoring

The use of chemicals in drugs like heroin and cocaine often begins during the refining process and varies based on the producer. Traffickers are always changing their methods, which leads to the following:

Though worldwide efforts to thwart drug production and distribution have been effective, there is still an overwhelming amount of illegal substances making their way onto the streets.

Sadly, awareness usually follows an increase in overdoses. Although this may stop those who are not addicted from experimenting with that particular substance for a time, it often has the effect of causing those who are addicted to the drug to seek it out because they believe the drug to be more potent—not laced with other substances. Education is the key to preventing unnecessary deaths.

Fighting Drug Addiction Through Treatment

Addiction is in part the inability to stop abusing substances despite the consequences of their use, like acute medical emergencies and chronic health problems.

If you or your loved one is addicted to drugs that may have added adulterants, don’t wait to intervene. Effective treatment at The Oaks at La Paloma can begin today. Please call us at our 24-hour, toll-free helpline and learn more about how programs can help you begin the healing process now.