Pubdate: Sun, 13 Apr 2003
Source: Cumberland Times-News (MD)
Copyright: 2003 Cumberland Times-News
Contact:  http://www.times-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1365
Author: Sam Shawver

Heroin Concerns Voiced

OPTIONS FACING ADDICTS ARE FEW

LONACONING -- They're lining up single-file, cash in hand, to buy heroin 
from dealers on the streets of Baltimore, and some of those buyers are 
selling their deadly purchases in Allegany County.

"In Baltimore there are bars on the windows and doors. They'll steal 
anything to sell for heroin. Lock your cars and take the keys, nothing's 
safe," Maryland State Police Detective 1st Sgt. Steve Vincent told a group 
of Georges Creek residents at Westmar High School recently.

"The average heroin addict here is spending between $200 and $400 a day on 
his habit. They have to have it every four to six hours or they get sick," 
he continued. "It's like the worst flu you ever had. They're more afraid of 
getting sick than of going to jail."

But Vincent tells addicts and young people who may be considering heroin 
use that the drug leaves them few options.

"Once hooked, they've got two choices, jail or death," he said.

Vincent, MSP's western region supervisor of narcotics enforcement, joined 
representatives from the Allegany County Health Department, county schools, 
and members of the local faith community to discuss the growing problem of 
drug use in Western Maryland.

A rash of heroin-related arrests and at least two deaths attributed to 
overdoses of heroin have been reported by the Cumberland Times-News since 
January.

"First use of heroin by 12- to 17-year-olds more than doubled between the 
1980s and 1995, and we're seeing a shift in use from older to younger 
people over the past 10 years," said Jim Brenneman with the health 
department's Outpatient Addictions Program.

"Ten years ago, 95 percent of the heroin was injected, but young people 
don't like to inject," he explained. "But the purity of heroin is 
increasing, and now the drug can be snorted.

"Adolescents progress through the addiction process in a much shorter time 
than adults, and we believe that's because their bodies are not finished 
developing," he said.

A Drug Education Guide that Brenneman distributed to the crowd says 
physical symptoms of the heroin addict may include euphoria, drowsiness, 
insensitivity to pain, nausea, vomiting, watery eyes and runny nose. Look 
for needle marks on arms; pinpoint pupils; cold, moist skin; and the 
presence of needles, syringes or spoons.

"We're fighting a war for our kids," said Cheryl Maistros, director of 
Cumberland Street Ministries, and a former police officer in Baltimore City.

"Sometimes we think we're safe out here in the mountains and we're not 
going to have to deal with this, but we can't bury our heads in the sand. 
This is now a situation we have to deal with," she said.

Maistros added that it's discouraging to see that many area churches have 
not risen to the occasion to reach out to addicts and young people who may 
be predisposed to get involved with drugs.

"The churches need to learn how to embrace these kids," she said. "You 
can't lock this problem up and throw the key away."

Eric Rosenberger, a former drug addict, shared his story with the group and 
gave the Christian Teen Challenge program credit for turning his life 
around. Now Rosenberger plans to open a branch of Teen Challenge to serve 
the Hagerstown, Cumberland and Morgantown areas.

"The whole name of the game is early intervention," said Lorelee Farrell, 
assistant supervisor of health and family life for the Allegany County 
Board of Education.

"Heroin has the capacity to change the face of this community," she said. 
"But because we're a small community, we also have an opportunity to stop it."

The meeting was arranged by the Rev. Richard Mortimore of the First United 
Methodist Church in Lonaconing.

"The idea grew out of a meeting of the Georges Creek Methodist pastors 
during a discussion on drug awareness," he said.

Brenneman noted that a group of citizens from Carroll County will discuss 
how their community is dealing with similar drug issues during a public 
meeting at 7 p.m. on April 30 at Allegany College of Maryland.

For more information or to seek help with a drug addiction problem, call 
the health department at (301) 777-5680.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens