Deaths from laced heroin on the rise in Detroit, OD's climbing at alarming rate

DETROIT, MI (Tell Us Det) - It is no secret that Heroin is spreading its misery across metro Detroit. Also, communities from coast to coast are feeling the uptick of users in their own back yard and indeed paying the hefty price as well.

In 2007, there were an estimated 373,000 heroin users in the U.S. By 2012, the number was 669,000, with the greatest increases among those 18 to 25. First-time users nearly doubled in a six-year period ending in 2012, from 90,000 to 156,000.

Once mainly an urban phenomenon, the drug has spread - gripping postcard villages in Vermont, middle-class enclaves outside Chicago, the sleek urban core of Portland, Ore., and places in between and beyond.

In light of a dramatic increase in heroin fatalities in Detroit and across the country, health officials from Department of Health and Wellness Promotion and the Institute for Population Health are taking steps to educate and treat people addicted to this deadly drug.

Many experts suspect that the recent increase of fatalities is a result of using heroin that has been laced with fentanyl analogues, substances found in strong prescription pain medications. Users may not know that this heroin, sometimes called “Black Shadow,” has been cut with fentanyl analogues, is much more potent than traditional street heroin and can be lethal.

And to make matters worse, treatment facilities are packed. Inpatient rehab is costly. Insurance companies have refused coverage. And for addicts who are truly looking to get clean from heroin, well.. they often face an uphill battle.



Fentanyl-related overdoses can result in sudden death through respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, severe respiratory depression, cardiovascular collapse, or severe anaphylactic reaction. Kanzoni Asabigi M.D., vice president of IPH Behavioral Health, explained, “It is particularly alarming to the behavioral health community because fentanyl does not show up on routine toxicology screens.”

Heroin users are urged to call 800-467-2452 for 24-hour substance abuse services, including admission for treatment.

Cocaine, painkillers and tranquilizers are all used more than heroin, and the latest federal overdose statistics show that in 2010 the vast majority of drug overdose deaths involved pharmaceuticals, with heroin accounting for less than 10 percent. But heroin's escalation is troubling. Last month, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called the 45 percent increase in heroin overdose deaths between 2006 and 2010 an "urgent and growing public health crisis."

Experts note that many users turned to heroin after a crackdown on prescription drug "pill mills" made painkillers such as OxyContin harder to find and more costly. It's killing because it can be extremely pure or laced with other powerful narcotics. That, coupled with a low tolerance once people start using again after treatment, is catching addicts off guard.

In hard-hit places, police, doctors, parents and former users are struggling to find solutions and save lives.

Anyone who may have information on the source of the narcotics related to the overdoses is urged to contact a special 24-hour hotline that the Detroit Police has set up at (313) 596-2240. If an overdose is suspected, individuals should call 911 immediately.

5 things to know about heroin use, getting help

Long a scourge of the back alleys of American life, heroin is spreading across the country. The death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman in February only underscored a problem many American communities already were combating: the rising use of - and deaths from - heroin. Here are five things to know about this issue:

1. RISING USE IN RECENT YEARS

The number of past-year heroin users in the U.S. has risen from 373,000 in 2007 to 669,000 in 2012, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA.

2. OVERDOSE DEATHS WORRY DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Overdose deaths involving heroin rose 45 percent between 2006 and 2010, according to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recently described the problem as "an urgent and growing public health crisis," as he called for more first responders to carry an antidote that can reverse the effects of a heroin overdose. But federal statistics also show that in 2010, heroin accounted for less than 10 percent of all drug overdose deaths.

3. STARTING "OLDER"

The average age for those using heroin for the first time was 23, according to a 2012 national survey sponsored by SAMHSA. In contrast, it was about 18 for marijuana, 19 for LSD and 20 for cocaine.

4. HARDER TO FIND

Heroin is considered far more difficult to obtain than other drugs for younger people. In 2012, nearly half of those 12 to 17 in the national SAMHSA survey said it would be "fairly easy" or "very easy" for them to get marijuana. Only about 1 in 10 said heroin would be that readily available. The 2012 survey also found that from 2002 to 2012, all drugs - marijuana, cocaine, crack, LSD and heroin - became less available. In that 10-year period, the availability of heroin fell from nearly 16 percent to 10 percent.

5. HOTLINES AND HELP

The Partnership at Drugfree.org has a toll-free helpline - 1-855-378-4373 (DRUGFREE) - that offers assistance to families concerned about a teen's drug use or drinking. Trained specialists can help parents outline plans for prevention, intervention and other services. They also can direct parents to local and national resources. The English-Spanish helpline is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 am to 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. SAMHSA has a 24-hour hotline - 1-800-662-HELP (4357) - and a directory of more than 11,000 alcohol and drug addiction treatment facilities and programs at http://www.findtreatment.samhsa.gov.