The Northern Kentucky area is the hotspot for heroin in the state, what are the leading counties of heroin usage doing to prevent the abuse of this dangerous drug?

"Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties together accounted for nearly 60 percent of Kentucky’s heroin prosecutions in 2011, even though the three counties have just 8.4 percent of the state’s population. The counties’ rate of heroin overdose deaths is more than twice that of Hamilton County or metro Louisville."

Parking lots, street corners and even in homes heroin has continued to grow as a popular drug in these areas, causing devastating damage to friends, families and the users. It began in the Cincinnati area and as demand for the drug increased, it grew in popularity in Kentucky because the price for heroin was cheaper than OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet. Statistics show that numbers continue to grow in usage despite collective efforts to end the epidemic that has swept northern Kentucky. According to the article cited below, "In 2012, state lawmakers passed the state’s “pill mill” law that cracks down on the unnecessary prescription of pain medication." This, however, caused an increase from 2012 to 2013 in the use of heroin because pill abusers admitted to turning to heroin when doctors quit prescribing them painkillers. Lack of funding for the local police prevents law enforcement from really cracking down on the growing drug problem. Also, according to Mina “Mike” Kalfas, an addiction specialist in the area, treatment resources and programs are lacking and the few that are available aren't as successful as they should be.

We've recognized there is a problem with heroin in the Northern Kentucky area, but we continue to allow it to grow instead of pulling together funding and resources to try and stop it. It's only a matter of time before this drug begins to leak into other counties across the state. We must do more now so that it doesn't become an even bigger problem in the future.

Marcus AW

Sources:
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130325/NEWS1006/303250003/