What Does Heroin Look Like

White powder heroin is the purest and most refined form of the drug. It is also the classic form of heroin, usually found on the streets. It appears as a pure white powder but can also have different color tones depending on which chemicals were used to process it and whether or not it has been “cut” or combined with other substances. White powder heroin can have an off-white, brown, pink, beige, or yellow tint.

Black tar heroin is not as refined or pure as white powder heroin. It is less expensive but often considered more potent due to its higher morphine content. It is a tar-like sticky substance instead of a fine powder. The impurities in this form of heroin influence the consistency and color.

As the name suggests, black tar heroin is dark brown or black but may also be tinted orange. This form of the drug may also look like a chunk of solid coal before it’s ready to use.

Brown heroin is another powder form that has not been fully purified. It is less potent than white heroin and is more difficult to dissolve in water. The true brown color of the drug is due to impurities and an incomplete purification process. This brown will be unique from the tan or brown tint that some white heroin powders will have.

It is possible to put heroin into a tablet or pill form. Because heroin pills and tablets are illegal and not regulated like standard prescription medications, the drug can be pressed into any color or shape. Someone may not be able to tell if a pill contains heroin, but they may notice if it is an official prescription or not.

Heroin in tablet form will typically lack the usual markings that medication pills possess. They don’t have any extra coloring that some medications have. Heroin tablets can be of various colors, depending on the cutting agents used. Heroin pills may also be capsules containing powder or a tar-like substance.

Laboratories can create synthetic opioids that mimic the effects of heroin but are not derived from the opium poppy plant. Its appearance varies based on how it was made, its degree of purity, and what cutting agents have been used in the production.

Synthetic opioids can appear very similar to other forms of pure heroin. They often look like white powder but can also have an off-white, brown, or beige tint and be pressed into a pill.