Cooking heroin the Turkish way: chemical investigation on an unusual heroin preparation method.

Background: Reports from experienced heroin users about an alternative and appreciated but harmful so-called "Turkish" heroin preparation technic led to the chemical investigation of the compounds produced during this process and investigation of the presence of other psychoactive contaminants.

Methods: Comparison of diacetylmorphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, paracetamol and caffeine concentrations were performed in the non-processed material, after processing according to the standard and to the alternative preparation methods using liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry followed by statistical evaluation of the results.

Results: The two preparation methods had in common a diminution of diacetylmorphine as compared to the starting material but significantly more 6-monoacetylmorphine was produced using the "Turkish" preparation method as compared to the standard method.

Conclusion: The high amount of psychoactive 6-monoacetylmorphine may have an impact on the reported effects of heroin using the "Turkish" preparation procedure.