This is the fourth in a series of blogs looking at the increase in use and abuse of heroin. When I was a kid only the most serious druggies took heroin and they were “all” going to over-dose. That is how frightening that drug was and still should be.
In previous blogs we discussed how heroin moved out of the big cities and migrated into the suburbs. We also have discussed the role of prescription painkillers as a major cause. As reported in www.nytimes.com.
Simple Economics – Supply and Demand
Yet the rise in heroin abuse here predated the restrictions on painkillers, leading some to blame the simple law of supply and demand. Distributors in New York see a wide-open market in northern New England, where law enforcement can be spotty and users are willing to pay premium prices. A $6 bag of heroin in New York City fetches $10 in southern New England but up to $30 or $40 in northern New England. The dealer gets a tremendous profit margin, while the addict pays half or even less of what he might have to shell out for a prescription painkiller.
We will continue this discussion with future blogs – so stay tuned.
If you or someone you care about uses heroin, please seek help immediately. A drug class is a good place to start. If you prefer to maintain anonymity, there are computer based online drug courses too.