Officials in New York are seeing an alarming spike in heroin abuse in suburban areas. More startling, however, is the increasing number of teens who have easy access to the drug.
According to Bridget G. Brennan, the city’s special narcotics prosecutor, recent drug raids on “heroin mills” have revealed hundreds of thousands of heroin bags, reports the New York Times. Law enforcement officials have also found many of the newest heroin addicts come from middle- to upper-class suburban families and are in their teens or early 20s.
A local substance abuse center has also seen a trend toward younger heroin addicts. Typically, the treatment center cites 10 percent of young adults with heroin addiction. This year, the center says the number has been closer to 30 percent. In New Jersey, the portion of teenagers entering treatment for heroin addiction has doubled to 40 percent in the past year, according to the Times.
Officials believe the rise in heroin use is due to widespread availability and lower cost.
For additional information, click here.
