Heroin is mounting a comeback, appealing to a younger, more diverse audience than ever before, experts say.
And there are signs the supply is meeting that increased demand in communities previously untouched by heroin trafficking. Last week, the Cherokee County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad arrested two men for trafficking — Brandon Ray, 22, of Acworth, Richard Edwards, 31, of Woodstock — in an undercover sting, recovering four grams of brown Mexican heroin.
"We've arrested people for [heroin] possession before, but never trafficking," said Phil Price, commander of the Cherokee narcotics squad.
Nationally, heroin use has spiked, with users skewering young and the consequences more fatal than ever. Data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reveals that 510 people between the ages of 15 and 24 died of a heroin overdose in 2009, the last year figures were compiled, compared to 198 in 1999.
But, according to GBI spokesman John Bankhead, heroin overdoses reported in Georgia actually declined in 2010. Out of 729 drug overdose deaths autopsied by the GBI in 2010, three were attributed solely to heroin, down from 10 (of 670 drug-related deaths) the previous year.
That's subject to change, said Bankhead, noting the bureau's 2011 figures will be released in two weeks.
Steven Lee, program director of the young adult addiction program at Smyrna's Ridgeview Institute, said he's seen a noticeable rise in heroin abuse among his patients.
"It's really hit the fan the last five years, especially the last couple of years. We're seeing [patients] who historically would never be caught dead taking this stuff."
They're driven by cost, he said. Heroin is much cheaper than, say, an Oxycontin tablet, which typically sells for $30.
"A lot of young kids start on grandma's Percocets and they get hooked," said Lee, adding that prescription painkillers often serve as a gateway to heroin use.
Moreover, today's heroin appears to be more potent, according to Price.
"In the '90s, much of the heroin was coming from southwest Asia, and it was cut way down," he said. "The stuff we're seeing now, from Mexico and South America, isn't being cut as much."
About the Author
