Pubdate: Sun, 11 May 2014
Source: Augusta Chronicle, The (GA)
Copyright: 2014 The Augusta Chronicle
Contact: http://chronicle.augusta.com/help/contact
Website: http://chronicle.augusta.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/31
Author: Bianca Cain Johnson

HEROIN USE ON RISE IN GEORGIA

Heroin use is on the rise statewide, while many other drugs appear to
be waning, according to an analysis of drug submissions to the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation's crime lab.

The analysis shows heroin submissions have increased by more than 300
percent since 2011. The current fiscal year has seen a 20 percent
increase, while all other drugs during that period have decreased by
22 percent.

It's a problem local police are also dealing with.

Richmond County sheriff's Sgt. Jason Vinson took a four-year break
from the narcotics division to work in criminal investigations. When
he recently returned to narcotics, he said he was surprised at the
drug's sudden popularity.

"It was a shock to me when I came back," he said. "It was so rare
(before)."

Vinson estimates the county has seen a 70 to 80 percent increase in
the past five years, much of it coming into the area from Atlanta.

Columbia County sheriff's Capt. Sharif Chochol said he began seeing
the increase last year.

In 2011, 4.2 million Americans, or 1.6 percent, ages 12 and older had
used the drug at least once, according to the National Institute on
Drug Abuse.

Vinson said it appears that many users claim they started off taking
prescription painkillers, such as Oxycontin. When the drug started to
have less effect, they began melting and shooting up the painkillers
before eventually moving on to heroin.

When abused, prescription opiates such as Oxycontin and Vicodin have
an effect similar to heroin, which is derived from morphine.

Heroin, which can be injected, inhaled or smoked, is considered highly
addictive and is said to cause a surge of euphoria accompanied by dry
mouth, flushing of the skin, heaviness of the extremities and clouded
mental function. Users then go into an alternately wakeful and drowsy
state, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Long-term abuse results in collapsed veins, pulmonary complications,
liver disease and clogging of the blood vessels.

While the drug's use is rising locally, it still doesn't compare to
the number of methamphetamine users police see.

"We have seen more heroin than in years past but it's not the most
prevalent drug we have," Chochol said.

Heroin, however, is slightly cheaper than meth. Chochol estimates that
heroin sells for about $40 for an eighth of a gram while meth sells
for $150-$200 per gram.

GBI CRIME LAB NUMBERS

YEAR	HEROIN SUBMISSIONS

2011 276

2012 356

2013 717

2014 (to date) 863

*All of the statistics are for a fiscal year cycle that runs from July
to June.

Source: Georgia Bureau of Investigation
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