Pubdate: Sat, 04 Aug 2012
Source: Door County Advocate (WI)
Copyright: 2012 Door County Advocate
Contact: http://216.127.216.103/advocate/letters.html#writexx
Website: http://www.doorcountyadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1572
Author: Ramelle Bintz

Heroin alarm: INCREASE IN NEARBY COUNTIES' USE A CONCERN FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT

One Door County native describes his former life as a heroin user as
"just a tidal wave of misery and despair."

The man, who asked to remain anonymous , moved to Madison as a teen
and quickly became involved in the drug scene as heroin began making
its big comeback.

"It's just a very strange world, and if I stayed in it I would not be
alive," he said. "I lost a friend almost every month - only a small
amount of us made it through."

His first hit of heroin started at 17, and he continued taking his
chances until he had had enough in his mid 20s. By then he had been
through three rehab centers, arrested several times for
non-drug-related offenses such as disorderly conduct, and in and out
jail. After working in the adult entertainment world on the West Coast
to support his ever-demanding drug habit, he finally decided to return
home.

He came back to Door County and has been clean for the last 10 years.
But recent news accounts of people in Brown, Marinette and Manitowoc
counties overdosing on heroin strike an alarm bell in his brain. He's
glad to see new billboards up in Door and Kewaunee counties warning
people to call police if they see signs of heroin abuse.

"When you start finding dealers with those little bags, you know there
is a massive problem," he said. "All those little bags spread as fast
as possible."

Not a far leap

Heroin is so addictive and spreading so quickly, authorities in nearby
counties consider it at epidemic levels . According to Wisconsin Crime
Lab statistics, Marinette County had only two cases with evidence
relating to heroin in 2008. The first half of this year, the tally is
17 with a total of 69 cases in the past five years.

Manitowoc County also had no heroin-related crimes as recently as
2008, but that number is now at 18. Brown County had 74 heroin-related
crimes in the past five years, with another 21 crimes with trace
residue present.

Only one case with evidence of heroin was reported for Door County in
2008 and a total of two for Kewaunee County in the past five years.
The Door-Kewaunee Drug Task Force put up four billboards this week to
warn the public in hopes of nipping the problem in the bud.

"We're trying to get out in front of this thing," said Kewaunee
Sheriff Matt Joski. "It' s a trend in the adjacent region and people
are constantly in transit. It's so addictive, we don't want it to get
a foothold."

Door County Sheriff Drug Investigator Mark Hilsabeck said local
awareness was raised after a televised news story ran in April about
the heroin epidemic in Marinette County featuring state representative
John Nygren, R-Marinette.

Nygren's ex-wife found their daughter, Cassie Nygren, passed out on
her bathroom floor from a heroin overdose. She survived, but the
Marinette coroner said at least five people died from heroin there
last year. Heroin is not only a crime-related problem with increased
burglaries and thefts but is affecting the death rate.

"Nobody is safe from this," said Marinette Police Chief John Mabry.
"This is not about low income people or broken homes. This is
happening in good solid, church-going families. It crosses all
boundaries. It's quite frightening."

Paramedics in Marinette carry Narcon, a drug that brings people who
are blue with no pulse and not breathing literally back from the dead
after overdosing, he said. Several more overdoses are happening that
are not counted in the crime statistics. And property crimes and armed
robberies are keeping one full-time drug officer and another drug
detective busy. Just this week another large amount of heroin was
seized, Mabry said.

"We have no reported incidents here in Door and Kewaunee counties, but
we want to get the word out and have the hotline number available so
if someone witnesses it, they can remain anonymous and get help,"
Hilsabeck said.

Typically it starts out with prescription drug abuse, he said, and
that problem unfortunately is in Door and Kewaunee counties, he said,
adding that a jump to heroin wouldn't be a far leap.

The two billboards in Door County are on County S and Wisconsin 57 and
the two in Kewaunee County are south of Algoma on Wisconsin 42 and
west on Wisconsin 54.

"I was never out seeking anything," said the Door County man who once
was hooked. "There weren't any needles. It was easy to smoke. This is
such a pill culture it made it easy to justify. It just happened. It's
so common and it was so cheap."

While he is not aware of anyone now in Door County with the addiction,
he said, there are a lot of people using cocaine and pills and the
crossover is very easy.

"I don't see a huge stretch at all," he said. "You're already seeing
Walgreens getting robbed in Green Bay and Marinette. It's only a
matter of time before it's here."

Getting ready

Door County's Community Program's Coordinator Tina Baeten said the
crisis center so far has not seen heroin as the primary drug problem
among those seeking help for their addiction. The No. 1 drug problem
in Door County is still alcohol dependence, but abuse of prescription
drugs is a close second.

Bath salts remain a problem with the suicidal tendency people have
when they try to get off, Baeten said.

Even though it has been 10 years since he used heroin, the former
addict from Door County said he still sees a therapist when times are
tough.

"I definitely believe in therapy or a good  friend," he said. "You
need a strong foundation to help you get over whatever it is that's
keeping you stuck. Stop dwelling so you can accomplish what you were
meant to do in the world."

Anyone who has questions related to drugs can call the community
program's 24-hour crisis line at (920) 746-2588 or Baeten at (920)
746-2350.

To report suspected drug dealing or use, call the Door County Sheriff
at (920) 746- 2444 or the Kewaunee County Sheriff at (920) 388-0440.
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