How scared are you that heroin use is on the rise? If you are not terrified, you should be. This is going to cost US taxpayers millions and millions of dollars.
While it would be impossible to pinpoint an exact reason for the resurgence of this very powerful and lethal drug, most certainly we could look at prescription pain medication. The use and abuse of these high-powered narcotics has to be one of the main reasons for the recent spike in heroin use. As reported in www.nytimes.com.
Not only is this drug widely available, but it is extremely inexpensive relative to other drugs. One dose of heroin could cost as little as $5, while a high-octane OxyContin pill might sell for $80.
For the past few years the increase in use and availability was centered in highly-populated urban centers and very bad neighborhoods. However, the increase in use by the middle class has brought buyers to these dregs and now dealers are finding their way to just about anywhere in the country.
Many cities across the country are experiencing an inordinate number of heroin overdoses. There are overdose deaths in the bathrooms of fast-food restaurants and other public venues.
This is the second in a series of blogs looking at the rampant rise in heroin use. If you or someone you care about used heroin, please seek help immediately. A drug class is a good place to start. If you prefer to maintain anonymity, there are online drug classes too.