Pubdate: Wed, 30 Apr 2014
Source: Times Recorder (Zanesville, OH)
Copyright: 2014 Times Recorder
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/b4KEE6vQ
Website: http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2740
Author: Sheila McLaughlin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?132 (Heroin Overdose)

HEROIN DEALERS COULD FACE MURDER CHARGES IN OD CASES

SHARONVILLE - Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters revealed 
Wednesday that he and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine are working 
together on a bill that would allow murder charges to be brought 
against drug dealers who sold lethal doses of heroin.

Deters made the announcement in front of a town hall-style heroin 
summit called by DeWine. It was the 12th in a series of community 
forums DeWine is holding across the state to come up with a plan of 
attack for the growing heroin epidemic.

"I think it would be a very good deterrent in our community," Deters 
said of the bill.

Under current law, it's nearly impossible to convict drug dealers in 
fatal overdoses because there must be proof a dealer knew the drugs 
would kill the user.

Deters said he'd rather see treatment available for addicts who get 
into trouble with the law and thinks drug courts are the way to 
handle those cases.

"I'm much more inclined to give them treatment instead of 
incarceration," he said.

The resounding theme of the summit was that a prescription for the 
epidemic must include treatment, prosecution of heroin dealers and 
prevention education that continues each year for children and is 
tailored to their age group.

"The problem is bigger than just arresting people," Cincinnati Police 
Chief Jeffrey Blackwell said.

Progress will come with grass-roots efforts that include churches, 
law enforcement, the business community and schools, DeWine said.

He expects the number of heroin deaths in Ohio to be well over 1,000 
after 2013 numbers are tallied. The Ohio Department of Health 
recently reported 680 heroin deaths occurred in 2012, a 37 percent 
increase compared with 2011's numbers.

"What we see is heroin deaths going straight up. There is no 
indication in 2014 that they are going to flatten out," DeWine said.

It is unclear when any action will come out of the community forums. 
DeWine spokeswoman Jill Del Greco said DeWine had talked about 
holding up to 15 summits. He would then appoint a committee to review 
forum findings and come up with statewide recommendations to curb 
drug abuse to prevent addiction.
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