Where did Nyaope originate?

Where did Nyaope originate?

In order to understand the recreational drug Nyaope it’s important to look at how and where did Nyaope originate.

Nyaope is a form of black tar heroin, mostly mixed with other substances, which came into widespread use in South Africa in 2009. Nyaope is mostly available in the impoverished townships of Durban, although it is spreading rapidly and appearing in other places in South Africa as well. But Nyaope has been around for a while. Originally called “sugars” and thought to be mostly available in Chatsworth. It is now being consumed all across Durban.

Nyaope history and origin

In April 2004 the South African government introduced free antiretroviral drugs in the public sector. Allowing ARV’s to become increasingly and freely available to people infected with HIV. One of the types of ARV medications that were made available was the 1998-approved ARV medication – Efavirenz.

Patients had varied reports about Efavirenz with some reporting effects such as dizziness, lucid dreams and nightmares, insomnia, confusion, abnormal/delusional thinking, anxiety, agitation, impaired concentration, memory loss, hallucinations, euphoria, suicidal ideation, manic behaviour and depression.

Scientists began to investigate the effects of Efavirenz revealing that it has similar hallucinogenic effects on the brain as Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD). These findings triggered a massive interest in the misuse of the ARV drug and inspired new ways to abuse it. People began combining the ARV drug with different illegal substances eventually leading to the making and discovery of Nyaope.

Nyaope is a recreational drug. It initiates intense feelings of euphoria, deep contentment, and relaxation. It also reduces appetite. The effects of Nyaope could last two to four hours. The drug is usually smoked with cannabis in the form of a joint, but methods of preparation for injection do exist.

The cost of Nyaope is reported to be about R30 (as of April 2018) per straw. A Nyaope addict needs several doses a day; however, users are typically too poor to afford the drug from legal income, and so turn to crime to raise the money for their supply.

The effects of Nyaope

The effects of Nyaope typically wear off in 6 to 24 hours, allowing for the dawning of unpleasant side effects.

These include

• stomach cramps,
• backaches,
• sweating,
• chills, 
• anxiety,
• restlessness,
• depression, 
• nausea, and 
• diarrhoea

More serious Nyaope side effects include internal bleeding, stomach ulcers, and potentially death.

For more information about this drug and where did Nyaope originate please contact us to learn more about the treatments we recommend at our treatment centers.

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