It's actually not new, it's been around for about 100 years. I wouldn't think it would be much of a problem anywhere given the ready availability of other illicit opioids... Most or all of the ingredients you listed for the synthesis are also used for the illicit manufacture of many other street drugs, which is why illegal drug labs have a nasty tendency of exploding.
In NY there is a huge effort to crack down on prescription narcotic crime. The only downside I see to that is that legitimately manufactured narcotics aren't inherently toxic like stuff made with solvents and other ingredients from the local hardware store...junkies will be forced to turn to less safe alternatives. Although I would imagine opioid seekers would be able to get heroin (diacetylmorphine) pretty easily.
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Date: 2013-12-13 06:26 pm (UTC)In NY there is a huge effort to crack down on prescription narcotic crime. The only downside I see to that is that legitimately manufactured narcotics aren't inherently toxic like stuff made with solvents and other ingredients from the local hardware store...junkies will be forced to turn to less safe alternatives. Although I would imagine opioid seekers would be able to get heroin (diacetylmorphine) pretty easily.