It’s a drug that officials say knows no socioeconomic boundaries, flooding communities not just in Boone County, but Central Indiana, and causing an epidemic.
Heroin abuse has been on the rise with deaths from the drug across the country quadrupling from 2000 to 2013, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
”It’s a trend picking up across the entire country,” said Whitestown Police Department Chief Dennis Anderson. “It’s the No. 1 abused illegal narcotic in the country, and it’s flooding our communities. It’s coming across the (Mexican) border more and more.”
Boone County Sheriff Mike Nielsen says he’s seen the numbers rise on heroin use.
”I’ve seen more deaths related to heroin abuse in the past 18 months than in the previous 30 years,” he said. “It truly is an epidemic, and we’re trying to figure out how to put an end to it.”
IT ONLY TAKES ONE
Nielsen said the typical user is between 17 and 30 years old. Each time there’s an addict in the jail, he goes to talk with them.
”I ask all of them how many times it took before they became addicted,” he said. “Almost all of them say that it only takes one use before they are addicted.”
Dr. Scott Phillips, who is a reserve deputy with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office, said heroin is highly addictive for a few reasons.
”It has a very strong chemical hook,” he said. “The other problem is that people start using it to escape, whether they are having troubles at home, with school, or if there’s a mental illness. Heroin is good at feeding that escape and making you feel good.”
Phillips said until people address what they are facing, the drug use will continue.
”They’ll just keep thinking ‘Oh I want to feel that good again’,” he said. “It’ll just be a constant circle.”
Nielsen said it doesn’t make a difference where a person lives, and that heroin use is on the rise all over Central Indiana.
”Everyone has problems,” Phillips said. “It doesn’t matter where you are, and unfortunately, some peopleseek escape from those problems by turning to drugs.”
Nielsen said there are still issues with methamphetamine and other drugs, but nothing as serious as heroin. ”We’ve got problems with the other drugs, but we’re seeing an epidemic with heroin,” he said. “It makes no difference if you’re in an affluent community or not, rich or not, this is an epidemic, and epidemics have no choice on where they do their dirty deeds.” THE ‘GUTTER’ BETWEEN CHICAGO AND INDIANAPOLIS Both Anderson and Nielsen said one contributing factor to heroin use in the county is Interstate 65. ”There’s a lot of transient traffic,” Anderson said. “There’s more and more coming across the border, and a lot of times, it’s being transported through Boone County.” Nielsen said most heroin is coming from Mexico, instead of overseas like it did in the past. Since it’s coming from Mexico, it is cheaper and easier to get, leading to more usage, he said. “We are trying to do more drug interdiction stops along Interstate 65,” he said. “It’s a gutter between Chicago and Indianapolis, and so many people pass through. We are doing a better job of conducting those stops in partnership with the (Drug Enforcement Administration).” Nielsen said the county offers several programs at the jail to help people overcome addiction. ”We do everything we can to stop the recidivism rate,” he said. “We have a lot of programs here because we don’t want to see them come back. That ranges from faith programs to education programs to drug recovery programs.”
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