Substance abuse in South Lake Tahoe: HEROIN

South Tahoe Now will be presenting a series on increasing drug use among children and adults in South Lake Tahoe, current trends and solutions. This is the first part in the series: Heroin.

It is euphoria, sensory overload and beyond any pleasure you know. That is the beginning, and the average heroin user will spend years trying to find the same feeling as that first high, ended only by death, or seeking help to rid themselves of the dark beast of addiction. Those are the only two options.

The statistics are sobering. In 2013 there were 8,257 deaths in the U.S. from heroin. Of these drug-poisoning deaths, four times as many men died (6,525) than women (1,732).

Heroin is not a big city problem, in a recent study by the Center for Disease Control using data from 28 states, it was reported that the death rate for heroin overdose doubled from 2010 through 2012, and the mid-west death rate was the fastest growing. In a recent documentary about heroin addiction in rural Kentucky, the communities saw a 55% rise in heroin deaths, and addicts were younger than expected.

Heroin use is not only surging in America, it is surging in South Lake Tahoe as well. And not only use, but deaths caused by overdose.

In South Lake Tahoe, over an 18-month period in 2012/13, there were 18 heroin overdoses. Newer numbers are not available, but the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office says that the coroner continues to see an increasing number of deaths among users on both sides of county.

"Heroin use in South Lake Tahoe is a concern for our future," said a local drug enforcement officer, who must remain anonymous in this story and will be named "John" in the story. "One-tenth of a gram is destroying communities, ruining people's lives."

"Heroin has made a raging comeback in El Dorado County," said Lt. Tom Murdock of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.

That one-tenth of gram is called a "point," and that first time investment of $15-$25 will lead to a $100 to $200 per day habit. The point gives a high that lasts about four hours.

The average heroin addict in South Lake Tahoe is a white male or female, between the ages of 18-25, started with an addiction to prescription pain pills, uses five to ten points a day and is unemployed.

Because of the cost, heroin users aren't just "street kids." said "John." They are young people who you saw growing up, or were in school with. Heroin doesn't discriminate and can impact all walks of life.

The price an addict pays for heroin goes far beyond the purchase of a hit. They lose their mental health, their jobs, family, friends, possessions, and eventually, their life.

Black Tar Heroin is the most common on the South Shore, and it goes by the nickname "Black." "White" is the name for methamphetamine (Meth). Drug enforcement agencies are seeing record numbers of seizures at the border with Mexico, where most of the Black Tar Heroin comes from.

Most of the heroin dealers in South Lake Tahoe buy their supplies in Reno, Stockton and Modesto. "John" said they have seen the dealers driving off the hill daily to buy an ounce of the drug for about $1,800. They then come back to town, break down the ounce into points, which then sells on the street for about $3,750.

The dealers are users, unemployed, white male adults between 25-35. South Lake Tahoe doesn't see dealers with massive quantities, just these small time ones that normally have an ounce. A pound of heroin is considered big time for a local dealer.

Even with the apparent cash flow, the local dealers are "blowing through their cash," according to "John."

Dealers consider themselves to be helping the addicts. "John" said the dealers he speaks with say "I'm just helping people stay well."

Coming off heroin is nearly impossible to do outside of a live-in rehab facility. Every joint, every inch of skin, even one's eyelids is in immense pain when coming off the high. In order to make the pain to go away, a user will take another hit as they don't want to go through the withdrawals symptoms that include stomach pain, throwing up, sweats and more. The chances are slim that a heroin addict can beat this on their own.

The brains of a heroin user are altered and they have lost the ability to see the difference between right and wrong.

Heroin is not a gateway drug. Users normally get hooked on prescription pain pills (and it takes anywhere from 60 days to 2 years to get hooked). Doctors cannot prescribe opiates as they once did, and are now regulated and watched. Prescriptions are for only 30 days at a time, and a new doctor's visit is required.

"Teens don't just wake up one day and say 'Hey, I'm going to shoot up today," said "John." Nearly 50% of young people that who inject heroin reported abusing prescription opioids first.

Not all users of pain pills have prescriptions for them. They steal pills from family members or by theft of a home, always looking for a high since the withdrawal is so violent.

Using the pills on a daily basis also gets very expensive, so those looking for the high are turning to heroin because of both availability and cost.

Heroin is changing the community, and not for the better. "John" and his co-workers find it difficult to infiltrate the heroin dealer and user population, something that is successful with other drugs. It is hard to mimic the characteristics of a user when not a user.

Since the typical user is unemployed, theft is on the rise in South Lake Tahoe to supply habits. Police are seeing thefts of tools and items from cars, home break-ins for money and items of value that can be easily pawned.

How do we prevent this problem from growing? Education. Teach our children about drugs, and not just candy coated information either. Be tough. For the older user, they need to find their way to help and out of the vicious circle they have become stuck in. Call a local drug counselor for assistance, or the South Tahoe Drug Free Coalition.