Heroin base to HCl without ether?

[taig]

Is it possible to just dilute the heroin base in enough ethanol, add HCl and then let the ethanol evaporate to be left with heroin-hcl? I can't see what the ether is needed for other than letting the heroin-hcl precipitate.

Another question: Heroin base will decompose to morphine on prolonged contact with air, but how long could it be stored when dissolved in ethanol?
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