Heroin
- The Changing Face of Heroin
Ten years ago, heroin was an inner-city drug that conjured up images of needles, bloody veins, blackened spoons, and tourniquets. It was viewed as deadly, expensive, and lethally addictive, and scared off most recreational users. But all of this has changed. Heroin is now so pure that it can be snorted, so needles aren’t necessary. It’s also extremely cheap—a bag costs between $10 and $20 and can be bought almost anywhere.
- Price of Heroin Dropping Drastically in the UK
In some areas of the UK, a person can buy a gram of heroin for the same price as two beers. In fact, Colchester, an area of north Essex in England, has been dubbed “brown town” by local heroin addicts because of how easy it is to purchase heroin there.
- Heroin Use on the Rise in Long Island
Over four years, more than 1,000 people in Long Island, NY lost their lives to heroin or prescription opiates. In 2007, 10, 418 people were admitted to treatment centers for opiate addiction. The state doesn’t keep track of nonfatal overdoses, but Suffolk County’s Emergency Medical Services reported a 60 percent jump in the emergency use of an opiate antidote to counteract an overdose for opiates like heroin and Vicodin.
- Heroin Detox: The Long Road
When you are in the grip of heroin, it seems like you’ll never be free of it. Heroin addiction is one of the most difficult drugs to overcome, it’s true, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. You do need to be prepared for a long haul. And you do need courage and conviction.
