Heroin - the evil scourge of the illegal drug world
If there is a more evil substance than heroin, I cannot think of what it is. Perhaps there are even more addictive substances (e.g. crack, methamphetamines and alcohol to name some possibilities), but I doubt those substances have the tragic consequences that heroin does.
Heroin in a substance that, once taken, causes many lives to start “circling the drain.” Many who try heroin think they can “manage” the drug. They find rather quickly that heroin will rule their life.
I am not a drug counselor and my experience comes from speaking to addicts I met who found themselves in the back of a police cars or in police interview rooms. Some of those I would later speak to many times on the street.
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For those who think they can “manage” heroin, they try it, like it and decide, so that they won’t become an “addict,” that they will only use it once every two weeks for instance. About a week goes by and confident that they are not addicted they try it again.
The next day feeling no ill effects or physical cravings the heroin “managers” again delude themselves that they are not addicted --physically that is. So they use heroin again. Soon it becomes daily use and physical addiction.
Other heroin “managers” think that snorting heroin will keep them from getting addicted to heroin like needle users -- WRONG. It really does not matter how heroin or other opiates are administered they are still very addictive. The heroin user becomes an addict and gets physically ill with terrible flulike symptoms that will only get worse until they get more heroin. This is called being “dope sick.”
To understand a heroin addict and why they do the things they do, ask yourself a simple question: What would you do to keep yourself from getting violently physically ill? For many of those poor souls there is a cycle that just keeps repeating itself. They use heroin, it feels good so they use more to get the same effect they did the first time.
Once addicted the heroin user does things they would never do normally and get themselves in trouble trying to feed their addiction and avoid being dope sick. They get arrested and incarcerated and go through withdrawal. They stay clean as long as they are incarcerated -- hopefully.
When they get out they are happy to be clean and off heroin. Then they are faced with a stressor -- perhaps by being a convicted criminal and not being able to get a job -- and the escape of heroin beckons once more to begin the cycle anew.
Some of these addicts who have not been educated about drug tolerance take the same dose of heroin they took before they were incarcerated. Unfortunately the dose they were taking before to get high was a dose their body had built up to gradually. Their body had built up a tolerance to heroin over time. If a person whose system was cleaned of heroin takes that same dose they had buillt up to before, it can overdose and kill them.
I have known some who have been able to escape the drug, but it is a tough battle. Those who have been successful are a lucky few and usually had a good support system with family and friends who cared.
Many police officers try to give advice to those they arrest or come in contact with, especially the young that might be saved. The advice is often met with rolling eyes and yawns of boredom, but many of these officers persevere hoping they might be able save someone along the way. For those officers -- do not be deterred; keep talking and keep trying.
Several local police officers had a little bit of their hearts broken last week with the death of a young heroin user they tried to reach. Outwardly they are all professionals and just shake their heads, but it still hurt inside.
To them, I dedicate this column and remind them to keep trying -- you do make a difference.
Lock it up, don’t leave it unattended, be aware and watch out for your neighbors.
Rich Kinsey is a retired Ann Arbor police detective sergeant who now blogs about crime and safety for AnnArbor.com. He also serves as the Crime Stoppers coordinator for Washtenaw County.
Comments
Dr. Fate
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
Fantastic article by Rich again. Really enjoy his excellent writing with his area of expertise, experience, and consideration of the human component. I appreciate the explanation of the cycle of the drug addict. As a hospital physician, I see a lot of them but only for relatively short times so I hardly get the big picture shown in this article.
M.
Sat, Sep 17, 2011 : 8:01 p.m.
No substance is good or evil.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Fri, Sep 16, 2011 : 6:20 p.m.
One more thing, Crack does kill in a very unexpected way. Every time a pull or toke or whatever it is called is sucked in to your lungs you risk the chance of your heart "exploding" in your chest from the sudden rise in blood pressure and beats per minute. Meth if I am correct carries the same risk. Every pull or toke weakens the heart muscles and eventually one day as you are just getting the buzz it's lights out. Ask any doctor about this and also how rich they have gotten from Crack related strokes. A doctor once told me cocaine is going to make him a very rich man "legally", he then explained his logic.
Dr. Fate
Thu, Oct 6, 2011 : 3:11 p.m.
I'm not sure how crack-related strokes make the hospital or physicians money. Most crack addicts don't have insurance, so hospitals care for them at a necessary loss. There are more than enough cancers, heart attacks, infections, common age-related diseases that make the angry, delirious, violent addicts less than preferred patients.
tommysnell
Fri, Sep 16, 2011 : 1:41 a.m.
I learned of this tragedy on FB today. I have known at least three people who have OD and DIED from heroin, two people who were killed drinking and driving yet our AG focuses all his energy arresting Medical Marijuana Patients and all the hoopla in the courts over something that I know NOONE that has DIED from. heroin - 3 Three Dead I know alcohol -2 Two Dead I know Pot- 0 ZERO So why is the AG not at all focused on saving opiate addicts? Why? Perhaps our States forfeiture Laws... Think about it. Plenty of Heroin addicts are strung out and broke...Drunk Drivers are dead (can't really take their things) BUT Cannabis Cures. Cures budget deficits. Such another sad story for The State and the recovery community.
Terri
Fri, Sep 16, 2011 : 12:20 a.m.
Heroin screwed up my life and left me tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and I never once tried it. Junkies terrorize the people who love them, IME.
Chris 8 - YPSI PRIDE
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 11:49 p.m.
What needs to be done is to hold the street level person who is making a $4000 a week profit held accountable when someone overdoses on his or her merchandise. There was a law passed in Nassau County, New York to address this problem. Unfortunately for my young brother (six feet under), my Mother (who is no longer the same person she was), Myself (harboring emotions I can not begin to describe), and my other siblings (who don't even want to talk about his death) it's to late. The dealer was turned in by me who had to investigate who he was and illegally obtain his phone records, I had him put in jail for dealing. He walked away with a 1 year sentence and some BS counseling and without a doubt in my mind, is out dealing again. The police did nothing ! I told them what I knew and had to go to the County Prosecutor who eventually took action after me after bombarding her with e-mail for a few months. I am sorry to say Rich but I don't buy in to the compassion by the police BS you wrote about above. I experienced first hand what the police thought of the situatiuon. They shook their heads, walked away and wanted nothing to do with the information I provided them 45 minutes after learning my Brother was dead. They gave me the impression of "good riddance, another one we don't have to deal with anymore". The drug war is a lost cause. When heroin and meth reach this area in epidemic proportions, if it hasn't already, everyone is in for a big suprise as to how the police will be handling this. We will be needing 2 or 3 new jails about the size of the recently completed one.
bemc
Wed, Apr 18, 2012 : 9:42 p.m.
Dear Chris 8 - Ypsi Pride, I'm very saddened by the loss of your brother. I've lost more people than I can count to drugs & alcohol abuse, but no one as close and important as a brother. I understand your anger, and I also feel for you & your family, because things will never be the same in your family. I apologize, but I want to make sure I understand what you've written: you said the dealer was turned in to you. Are you an officer of the law? you said: "The dealer was turned in by me who had to investigate who he was and illegally obtain his phone records, I had him put in jail for dealing." Are you an attorney or an officer of the law? Since some time has passed, and perhaps you may be able to think more objectively, did you think that illegally obtaining the dealer's mobile phone records could be used as evidence? It's so sad that you won't see your brother until you meet up with him on the other side (if you believe in that), but no D.A. would use illegally obtained phone records as evidence in court. The dealer who sold your brother drugs will get what's coming to him, trust me. You wrote here that you
ffej440
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.
And the Meth invasion is working its way toward Michigan. Meanwhile are AG spends all his time and energy putting medical cannabis on the front line of drug problems.
Bob of Ann Arbor
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 4:19 p.m.
I failed to say thank you in my previous post to the police who try to help these addicts and anyone else they run across who needs help. Too often people think law enforcement is out to hassle them and too often they are not recognized for the good they do in out community. Again, thank you and please don't stop fighting the good fight.
RJA
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 2:57 p.m.
Great article Rich! I'm afraid that those that need to read this article won't. I have learned something today, and thanking God that I don't have any family or friends on Herion. It is so good of police officers to reach out to the users, and of course it hurts those that try and can't quite reach them.
Bob of Ann Arbor
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 2:37 p.m.
I know the girl referred to at the end of this article. I will attend her funeral tomorrow. She was 16 years old and was one of the sweetest kids I had ever met. I've known her since she was born and she was loved every minute of her life. There isn't much sadder than this.
RJA
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 3:07 p.m.
So sorry Bob, sending my condolences.
Ron Granger
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 2:20 p.m.
Well said, Rich. Most of us ignore this problem because we believe nobody we know would ever be so stupid to use heroin. We would never associate with a "junky". But then, someone you know dies from it. Just hope it isn't a family member or close friend. But it could be. Just hope you have an opportunity to have an intervention before it is too late. If you read the articles, there is an influx of cheap heroin. Apparently it is stronger than in the past. Users get addicted by snorting it. There are a lot of bored people these days, thinking it is the hip new way to get high. And there are dealers and cartels actively scheming to profit and exploit new markets. I am not a fan of the war on drugs. It has failed. We need to move on to something different. But whatever it is, we need to stop the heroin scurge.
bemc
Wed, Apr 18, 2012 : 9:54 p.m.
the WAR on drugs only helps the people EMPLOYED TO FIGHT IT. Oh, wait, that's GOVERNMENT MONEY, isn't it? So, get rid of them, trim the government's fat! No? You want to keep them on the payroll, continue this BIG government "problem"? Well, isn't that SOCIALISM? No, more like fascism. Terrible and sad news about this girl. Her life hadn't even begun. My heart is heavy, as it always is when I read about a person needlessly dying. May she rest in peace, and I hope her family will find some peace some day, too.
EyeHeartA2
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 12:37 p.m.
So....just to be clear. Jack Byrne - Your recommendation to this is that we legalize heroin? or did I misread that?
jack byrne
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 12:42 p.m.
I would recommend counseling, education and personal responsibility.
Craig Lounsbury
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 11:52 a.m.
You ask some excellent questions jack. My pastor once said in a sermon, I paraphrase, "no matter how dire the circumstance powerful people have a vested interest in the status quo"
hut hut
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 11:52 a.m.
Law enforcement, courts and prisons need drugs to be illegal for job security,
jack byrne
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 10:56 a.m.
#1. Why are our troops guarding the poppy fields in Afghanistan? #2. Why is The ATF supplying automatic weapons to drug gangs in Mexico? #3. Why can't we take the profit motive out of this by legalizing it? #4. I'm under the impression that the fact it's illegal helps to make it alluring to young people. I don't believe that if it was legal everyone would immediately become a Heroin addict.
kt rix
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
actionjackson- they come from truth. do some research
actionjackson
Thu, Sep 15, 2011 : 2:26 p.m.
And these conspiracy theories come from where?