Trained at the French government's gunpowder agency headed by the famous chemist Antoine Lavoisier, E.I. was certain that he could
produce black powder superior to the best available American product at that time.
According to the DEA, the US heroin market was historically divided between the area west of the Mississippi River, where Mexican -
produced black - tar heroin was used, and the area east of the river, where South American -
produced white -
powder heroin was used.