Subject: Downunder musings Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1998 22:40:32 +1000 From: "Yarnde" Organization: Spirit Networks Pty Ltd Newsgroups: alt.drugs.hard Australia's proximity to Asia, and the drugs as a result.. Australia's drug culture has been hugely influenced by it's proximity to Asia. Whilst in Europe, (noticeably before the advent of more powerful strains of Grass,) I noticed the most common smoke was Hash, and generally smoked in Joints, (Dutch Cones) and even Chillums. Whereas in Australia, methods & rituals, picked up from Asian countries (quite often our first overseas destination, experience upon leaving school, Uni., ) were bought back here, and tended to be adopted readily into our culture, as so often has been the case in this ethnically diverse country. Generally we smoke Bongs. (water pipes) Some reasons perhaps for this being: Not much Hash makes its way to or, in that matter, thru our National Borders, & secondly, Hash is a bit heavy to bong if you only have tobacco to mix it with. That is unless you have ample to allow straight Hash cones. Thirdly, perhaps we would be more likely to have in our possession an implement used for the smoking of Cannabis, (a Bong) compared to those countries with somewhat heavier punishments for getting caught than ours. 2 out of 7 of our States & Territories have De-Criminalisation laws, which loosely interpreted are as follows. The Police have an option when a person is found with up to 5 Plants, & / or approx. 2 ounces of dried grass, to either, do nothing, or confiscate and issue an "On the Spot Fine," (similar as Speeding tickets are dealt with), or charge you, as per usual. Anything over these amounts it is business as usual. Problem is not so much the fine, up to $Aust100-, more so losing the gear. That is the case in South Australia, and The Australian Capital Territory. Any other States following suit will most probably, due to advent of Hydroponics, and there efficiency, drop the 5 plant rule to 3, as since coming into effect, the yields of 5 plants over a year have greatly improved.. Down here, Heroin is sold as...Well first as you will see, our proximity to Asia really has a huge impact on the hard drug usage throughout out Australia. I read with interest this groups references to the more cruder grades of Heroin, such as Black Tar, & other similar products, which it seems are a marketable product in the U.S. I have seen such drugs being used on TV, in documentaries, tho for me, perhaps the closest I have come to was eating Raw opium. Australia (Tasmania) is one of the largest producers of Opium, for the worlds medical industry. This fact was posed as an underhand threat to Australia. Up until late last year, Australia (ACT) was attempting to run a Heroin trial, something similar to that in Switzerland, etc., The message that certain Political figures received, not directly from the major Drug war participant, but thru some agency in Switzerland, was that, Go ahead with the Heroin trial, and you place in jeopardy your Opium Poppy Industry. The trial was set to go ahead, until the PM (Howard) pulled the pin. Reasons, well..... Apparently Tassie, (Tasmania) used to be very popular holiday spot around Christmas. Find a little field away from the main secured areas, and spend the night picking the pods, and the day, boiling them up. They say the red ones are the best. I've heard of people with pounds of the smelly black putty, of which a gram in a morning cup of coffee would bring on a Nod for the rest of the day. (In the beginning) I have never been to Tassie, tho on occasion have sampled some of her wares, apart from the apples. Tassie, one would never have guessed the secrets hidden on that little known Island to the South of the Mainland.. I guess we are somewhat spoilt down here. In the 80's Australia was known as having the strongest Heroin on the Streets of any Western Country. Average was 18%, and presently it is 26%. Don't quote me on the exact? figures. A now famous quote, rumoured to have come from Deborah Harry, perhaps in the early 80's, was that if you wanted a habit, Sydney was the place to get one. Heroin in those days, was generally called and literally was: "White Powder", "Beige, Pink, Brown, and sometimes White, Rock." I can think of no time when Heroin was known by any other specific name relating to the product. Generally, names such as Harry, Hammer, Skag, Smack & White Powder were, & still are used. What we meant in those days by the term Rock as opposed to White Powder was not so much the small pebbles that it would sometimes be in the form of, but more its Chemical Alkalinity. "Rock" needed an acid (Ascetic I think?) to allow it to be broken down with water. The most common types used were vinegar, freshly cut and squeezed lemon, or commercial pure lemon juice. At rare intervals, what we would call "Pakistani, or Turkish, Smoking Heroin" would be going, but it was not popular, even tho it was cheaper than the Heroin coming in from Asia. It was also generally of the Alkaline nature, but hardly could be called Rock as it was a dirty brown soft type of powder/rock. Perhaps this is getting to some of what comes out of Mexico, & surrounds. Now the term "Rock" has been exploited by a new player in the ever changing front and perhaps Politics of Australia's Heroin Distribution. Throughout the years many different Nationalities have played the leading role, and over the past 10 years certain suburban area of predominantly Vietnamese inhabitants, have come more under public scrutiny, as they have taken up this title. What is unique in their marketing technique is to call all Heroin Rock. Alkaline Rock is now a thing of the past, this is the new, (for us) modern rock. These days, instead of getting a (e.g.) a half gram of white powder, which could have had any number of extras added to it, without leaving any evidence, by any of the hands that it past thru, "Rock" is the commodity to have. An half gram deal of Rock would be at best be made up of one, sometimes two pieces of Rock, weighing .5 of a gram. ($Au150 to $250) With no powder whatsoever. Generally, if the Rock has been crushed, it is common to ask as to why one would do so, as cutting it is generally the assumed reason. But from there the plot thickens. What has been ascertained so far is that the rock is white powder, with sometimes up to 85% purity. From the Powder stage, it is cut, and then repressed, initially perhaps this is done before it's arrival here. There was a report of a bust here in Australia, and apparently amongst items found, were Heroin,a grinder, a cutting agent, and a vice. I assume he ground down the rock, added his cut, and somehow under pressure, was hoping to get it back to Rock. I am wondering if any one else knows of this technique? Hardness varies considerably from batch to batch, with beige being the only other colour that I've seen. In relation to alkaline Rock, and it's entire disappearance with the advent of the new Rock and new Players, perhaps the initial Rock, which is Imported as Bricks from Asia somewhere, is initially cut with amongst other things an Ascetic Acid in powder form..Otherwise they have furthered the Chemical Process to omit the need for the customer to have to do it himself.. The use of Heroin in this country has made it the most common hard drug of choice, in comparison to I think perhaps Coke being the HDOC for USA. For many years certain cities in Australia have been awash with Heroin, where as to find Cocaine, up to a few years back, was a more selective, and difficult process. In 1975, a gram of Heroin was $120, and an ounce of pot was $30. 1985 a gram of Heroin was $300, and an ounce of pot, $250 - $350. 1995..Gram of Heroin $300, ounce of pot, $400 - $500. Today. Heroin $300, Pot, $300 - $500. The price of pot has dropped a bit, as it's quality has really soared in the past few years The quality of Heroin on the Streets has risen at an extremely deadly rate of knots. It took quite a few deaths before both the importers and movers, as well as the users, (they were the only ones dying) became accustomed to handling this product in it's purer state. People were literally dropping, and dying, left, right and centre. . News last night had a Heroin bust in Sydney of 91 kgs. Aust's 2nd. largest. Authorities are now observing whether this has any effect on the price, due to supply & demand. I doubt it. The sooner it gets treated as a health issue, instead of a criminal one, the better. Just some thoughts... Yande