Yes, "snorting" [the correct word is "insufflating] is just as with any other powdered substajnce [liquuid works as well]...just like cocaine.
As for telling which type of heroin it is, for insufflation it is not paticularly relevant. If you live in North America it will either be tar or #4. Per the types, #1 is merely highly pure morphine and #2 is, as I mentioned I believe, a freebase. Freebase can be insufflated without any kind of treatment as your nasal mucous automatically will adjust the pH of the heroin.
HoffBomb: Are you aware that this site is a Harm Reduction site? Harm Reduction is a movement that believes one should be able to get unrestricted advice and education in a non-judgemental manner. The belief, proven actually, is that Harm Reuction lowers the risk of communicable diseases related to substance use as well as making substance much more safer. The fact is, people will do what people want to do, despite your moral judgement.
No substance is good or bad, its useage iswhat really determines its nature. Morality can not be legislated nor instilled. As the English proverb says, "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink." All Harm Reduction does is provide the best tools possible, the rest is up to the user.
Finally, heroin is a relatively safe substance when taken correctly, and when quality of the substance is ascertained.
You have never met a person who tried it just once? I would say you are either very, very young or just do not know a lot of users. I have met many, many people who have done so. I have also met people who can do it more than once and leave it alone without any problems. I have also met people who have used it once, like myself, and developed a lifelong love affait with it. You cannot predict the future.
Synchrojet: You raised a good point. I have left my iniatial paragraphs unedited to point this out. When asked if it is the same as insufflating a "line" of cocaine, almost ev erymore [myself obviously included] would assume that the author was asking about the mechanics of insufflation and/or the preperation of the powdered substance. However, were the author to instead be asking with reagrds to dosages, it could be a fatal snafu. I would like to thank you for taking the time to point out this very common sensical advice.
While your advice on initially trying heroin is very good, the best advice would be to instruct the person to first purify [not always feasible for people with absolutely no chemistry backgrounds] their heroin and then accurately weighing it [per digiscale of course]. then using a dosage table and administering it pitch perfect.
Phrozen: I would offer that the best advice is NOT to seek an education from a dealer or other expereinced user. Almost all users have no idea at all what they taking or putting into their body. Ask any user you know the very simple question fo what are the 5 main alkaloids in opium. The answer will probably be a blank stare. Better is to edicate one's self to the highest degree. You only live once [as so much as we know] and illicit usage is a very quick way to die.
Hydro: Heroin is abused because it is the easiet to get? Maybe where you are but the vast majority do not have that same situation. Furthermore, very few people will do a substance simply because it is easy to obtain. I had unrestricted access to both LSD and methamphetamine for years and after experimenting with them never had the slightest desire to touch either ever again. Almost all users [after their initial dose] put forth great effort in locating and obtaining their heroin. In fact, when I lived in America, there times when I would fly from Tampa [which until 1997 had almost no heroin at all, but is now one of the most heavily innundated locations in the States] to NYC just to buy a "brick" [NYC bundles are 10 bags, a "package" or NYC "brick" is 10 bundles]. A 100 bags would last most moderate users less than 14 days [lasted me almost always 5 days or less].
If instead you were talking about heroin as opposed to other opiates and opioids you might be correct [I would definitely go for demerol or dilaudid any day of the week]. However we will never know. I should add though, that as far as intensity you will be hard pressed to top heroin due to its