Debunking the "Red Rock Opium" Myth
SUMMARY
A substance called "Red Rock Opium" is sold throughout the United States as a form of opium. Chemical analysis of a sample of reported Red Rock Opium using a Mass Spectrometer showed no opiates in the material. Material sold as Red Rock Opium appears identical in every way to a variety of "Dragon's Blood Incense" sold in shops around the US for 1/100 the price of the RR Opium. Red Rock Opium is not opium nor does it contain any opiates.
GENERAL INFORMATION
For at least 7 years, perhaps much longer, a material called "Red Rock Opium" has been sold in the United States as a form of opium. Erowid has received several experience reports, comments, and images of product purchased as 'Red Rock Opium' over the past few years although we hadn't really looked into the issue deeply until recently (Oct, 2000).
It is not uncommon to encounter Red Rock for sale and many people have tried smoking it. The material is consistently described as a reddish, hard, easily shattering & crumbling substance that forms a slightly sticky light red powder when crushed. When heated, the material melts easily and bubbles. When the smoke from the substance is inhaled, the taste is reminscent of flowers, very mildly 'perfumey', and is not particularly harsh on the throat and lungs (unlike many smokes).
The effects described from smoking this material are generally very mild, although there are persistent reports of strong reactions. Those who get effects describe them as "floaty", "codeine like", and relaxing. Other users experience nothing at all from smoking even large amounts of Red Rock. One confounding factor in sorting out the effects of Red Rock is that it is quite often used in combination with cannabis, sprinkled onto a packed bowl before smoking. Those who combine Red Rock with Cannabis report a noticeable difference from the experience of Cannabis alone (see an Experience with Red Rock Opium, by Cid). Most users find the effects, if present at all, to be very "subtle" and frequenly say they "would try more, next time".
Several police organizations have analyzed substances sold as Red Rock Opium (see below), fitting the description of the Red Rock Opium reported commonly by users. The DEA tests, as reported in the internal DEA Publication Microgram, found Red Rock Opium to contain no opiates and instead was consistent with Dragon's Blood Incense made from the Daemonorops draco plant.
Looks like you guys have been smoking perfume...