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ABUSE MAGAZINE
in decline among adult populations.
In some places, teens report that heroin
is even more accessible than marijuana,
ecstasy and alcohol.
The causes for this market shift are still
being researched. However, some experts
believe that the widespread effectiveness
of anti-heroin measures for adults may be
a large factor. While adult heroin use has
dramatically declined since the 1970s, law
enforcement has not been able to stop the
drug from coming into the country. In fact,
global heroin production has only increased
in recent years. Since fewer adults are using
heroin, sellers are targeting teenagers, who
are less likely to have negative associations
with the drug.
Dangers of Teen Heroin Use
Adding to the problem is the fact that
today’s heroin is as much as 15 times as
potent as the heroin of decades past. When
you combine this factor with the low price
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and increased accessibility of the drug,
teens are in grave danger. Even when it
wasn’t so potent, heroin was already one
of the most dangerous and addictive illicit
drugs on the market.
Lack of education and misinformation
is a problem. Among kids who use heroin,
there are likely to be myths and false
rumors about use of the drug. For example,
some experts say that the rash of teenage
heroin overdoses over the past few years is
a result of a mistaken belief that snorting
heroin is less dangerous and less addictive
than injecting. Bad information about hard
drugs like heroin can lead people to put
their lives in danger without even knowing
it.
Teenagers also tend to be more reckless
with their safety than adults, which makes
all of the dangers of heroin use that much
more acute. Teenagers are more likely to
overdose, to allow themselves to become
addicted or to mix heroin with other drugs.
Also, among individuals who do inject the
drug, teenagers are less likely to take precautions to prevent blood borne illnesses
like HIV and Hepatitis.
Finally, teenagers are less likely to seek
heroin treatment, as they may be worried that they’ll get in trouble if they tell
their parents. Thus, parents often do not
find out about the addiction until the child
overdoses, begins failing in school or gets in
trouble with the law.
Heroin Use Among Suburban
and Privileged Youth
A major component of the increase
in teenage heroin
use is a marked
upswing
among
kids in suburban
areas. For instance,
in places like Suffolk County, N.Y., a
suburban area outside of New York
City, the number
of deaths associated with heroin
use have more than
doubled in just the
past couple of years.
In nearby Nassau
County, the number
of people between
the ages of 19 and
25 entering heroin
rehab has increased
nearly fivefold in the past eight years —
from 59 in 2000 to 458 in 2008.
There are many possible ways to explain
this trend. For one thing, suburban youth
from middle-class backgrounds are much
more likely to have access to gateway
prescription painkillers. And while those
prescription drugs tend to run out, heroin
is always available for those who know
where to find it. Suburban teenagers also
have more money to spend, and many of
them have cars, which gives them a greater
amount of freedom and mobility. Suburban
ennui and academic pressure may also play
a role, with heroin giving teenagers an
outlet for their frustrations and a temporary escape from their problems.
Whatever the cause of teenage heroin
use, it is a serious problem that requires
immediate attention and available heroin
treatment.
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