In the quiet Midwest state of Missouri, the hard-core street drug, heroin, is not-so-quietly leaving its mark. While it may not be surprising to find heroin in bigger cities like St. Louis and Kansas City, more often than not, the drug is digging its claws into small town America. In Missouri alone, during the four year period from 2007 to 2011, the state saw heroin related deaths increase threefold, from 69 to 244.
Not long ago in rural Des Moines, Iowa authorities intercepted an 11 pound package of heroin along with a shipment of meth totaling three pounds. On the street, such a load would have commanded upwards of $1.3 million. The amount of heroin confiscated in Des Moines was 440 times higher than the entire amount of the drug reported in the town for the previous year.
Per information from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), nationally, figures for people who report using the drug have spiked in excess of 50 percent from 2002 and 2011. The rise in rural heroin use is believed to be driven by the stricter regulation of prescription drugs such as OxyContin, which are frequently abused and sold to others for misuse.
The illegal drug trade doesn’t just affect its users. It ruins families and can negatively impact surrounding communities as drug use is often deeply tied to violence and crime. While confronting the drug war may at times seem like a futile effort, united initiatives can produce promising results. Prescription medication take-back campaigns, increased prescription drug scrutiny, community prevention programs, and public drug education all can help discourage drug use.
Family Guidance Center has programs aimed at helping families work through the disease of addiction. Just as with physical illness, substance addiction requires professional guidance and a commitment to wellness. With expertise from Family Guidance, individuals can experience lasting recovery. Contact Family Guidance for more information about local inpatient and outpatient programs.
