Pubdate: Tue, 01 Nov 2011
Source: Palm Beach Post, The (FL)
Copyright: 2011 The Palm Beach Post
Contact:  http://www.palmbeachpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/333
Author: Aimee Jones

HEROIN'S PRESENCE ALREADY BEING FELT IN S. FLORIDA

I felt compelled to respond to the article "Police are winning the 
pill mill battle, but heroin may fill the void." This article 
presented some interesting points that are often avoided.

The direct correlation between oxycodone and heroin is an epidemic. 
The heroin scene has been strongly affecting other states, although 
Florida residents have not yet had to face this issue because of the 
overwhelming availability of pharmaceutical heroin - prescription 
opiates - that are flooding the streets.

Palm Beach and Broward counties have been aware of this pill mill 
epidemic, and are finally starting to make headway with enforcing new 
laws. The people supporting these pill mills are addicts, and 
crossing the threshold from prescription pills to heroin is going to 
be a simple and mindless transition.

The comment by Broward County Sheriff's Capt. Eric Coleman - "in some 
ways, we could potentially get worse before we get better" - shows 
the continued lack of concern for prescription medicine and 
heightening awareness of street drugs. Switching substances is not 
going to create a worse situation; it needs to be about limiting the 
availability. We would not be so scared about a heroin epidemic if 
prescription drugs were not so easily accessible.

The situation is just going to escalate, given attitudes that 
prescription drugs are less addictive than street drugs. Heroin is 
already the issue. Just because we produce it in controlled labs and 
place it in a bottle doesn't change the substance.

AIMEE JONES

Boynton Beach
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom