Pubdate: Mon, 05 Jan 2009 Source: Northwest Herald (IL) Copyright: 2009 Northwest Herald Newspapers Contact: http://www.nwherald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2762 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) ENFORCING LAWS, HELPING ADDICTS SERIES NOTE: This is the second installment in a two-day series examining the growing problem of heroin abuse across McHenry County. Fatal drug overdoses continue to creep across the nation, more often in suburban America than many think. In McHenry County, heroin-related deaths have nearly tripled in the past year - from six in 2007 to at least 16 in 2008. And because heroin metabolizes quickly in the blood, there might be more deaths caused than are reported. A decade of county death records reveals only one other year with double-digit cases. That was in 2003, when 10 people died from heroin overdoses. Since 2000, most of the annual handful of victims have been in their mid-20s to early 30s. Although drug-related fatalities account for only a small portion of county-wide deaths, local authorities say the problem remains significant. "I graduated from high school in 1989, and I remember we never even saw heroin or knew anything about it," McHenry County Deputy Coroner Robert Locke said. "When you thought of a junkie, you thought of a guy on skid row, you didn't think of kids in high school." Today, law enforcement efforts and treatment options for heroin addicts are ever-changing, while awareness remains a top concern for stopping the problem. Tougher enforcement "Heroin had its time probably over a decade ago and has made a resurgence in the area," said Lt. Andy Zinke, head of criminal investigations with the McHenry County Sheriff's Office. "We're trying to find the sources the best we can," Zinke said. Zinke said heroin use in recent years had been tied to dozens of burglary cases, with addicts stealing from others to feed their habits. Many drug cases occur in the McHenry area, Zinke noted, but the heroin problem spans the county. Wonder Lake Police Chief David Mahlke keeps an office collection of drug paraphernalia as a reminder of past busts for heroin and other drugs - as well as a way to show parents what their children might be hiding from them. Throughout Mahlke's police career, he's arrested several heroin addicts who had been traveling from Chicago or Rockford with purchases in tow. Dealers and addicts frequently try to find new ways to avoid drug-sniffing dogs, Mahlke said, making arrests more difficult for police. "Some of these guys have been arrested numerous times, and they become smarter," Mahlke said. "They know how to hide it." But more arrests today often lead to more prosecutions. Authorities have increased power to target someone who provided, sold or injected drugs in overdose cases. Two significant heroin-related cases in McHenry County recently led to the prosecution of two drug dealers - one, a Chicago dealer who sold drugs that killed a McHenry woman, and the other, a Huntley dealer who gave drugs to a Carpentersville acquaintance that later put her into a coma. The Chicago dealer faces 15 to 30 years in prison, while the Huntley dealer is hoping for boot camp instead of a lengthy term. McHenry County State's Attorney Lou Bianchi said he hoped to soon establish a drug court to get to the "heart of the problem," which would place addicts through an intensive supervisory program. "It gives people charged with drugs a greater opportunity to recover," Bianchi said. "The whole purpose of a drug court is to make a difference in the cycle of drug abuse, and the ability to help those who really can't help themselves." Getting treatment When an overdose victim is rushed by another addict to the emergency room at Centegra Hospital - McHenry, it's typically a "dump and run" situation. "We've had instances where someone will pull up to the emergency room doors, where they say, 'I need help; my friend's not breathing,' and then leave," said Karen Battaglia, a trauma nurse coordinator. Paramedics access the airway, start an IV, and give the person a medication called Narcan to help reverse the overdose's effects. Sometimes, CPR is needed to revive an overdose victim. In rare cases, it's already too late. Although no inpatient drug rehabilitation centers exist in McHenry County, Centegra Health System offers a partial hospitalization program for addictions, medical detoxification, and chemical dependency evaluations. Some counties use clinics that administer methadone - a synthetic narcotic that suppresses opiate withdrawal symptoms - but McHenry County does not. Instead, the Family Service and Community Mental Health Center for McHenry County serves as one outlet for addicts with intensive outpatient programs. Individual counseling also is available, along with Suboxone medications, which curb cravings to reduce drug use. Chris Gleason, the center's director of substance abuse services, said the number of clients in the heroin-specific group that he ran had jumped from six to 10. "I've got moms; I've got people who just went through a year of college," he said. Addiction to heroin is a long recovery process, Gleason added. Honesty is the first step. But because heroin is more available here than it was a few years ago, Gleason said, many addicts continue to get "door-to-door service," which makes it harder to kick. Increasing awareness Kathy Pokorny, owner of A New Way of Life Inc. in Cary, said 10 years in the drug field had shown her that more education could help some addicts and their families. "I think people are sometimes more concerned with the type of oil they put in their car than the dangerous drugs they put in their bodies," said Pokorny, the sole addiction counselor at the outpatient substance abuse center. "I don't know if parents even know how high the heroin use is in the area, or how dangerous it is." A few years ago, the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition, made up of treatment providers and families, visited area high schools with a heroin awareness package. The group, run by Gleason, continues to meet monthly to discuss additional ways of educating youth about drugs. "From talking to my clients, a lot of them said heroin was the best thing they ever found in their life," Gleason said. "But it's caused them more harm than it's caused good." Gene Goeglein, regional superintendent for McHenry County schools, said local schools regularly presented drug education programs through D.A.R.E., Red Ribbon Week, and individual health units. Many staff also have professional training in addressing substance abuse problems. But schools "can't all do it alone," he said. "We're but one part," Goeglein said. "It's working with our law enforcement, our legislators, our parents and all the resources we have out there to keep the message in front of our kids that it is bad, it is wrong, and we do care." - ------------------------ Where to turn To get help or find treatment services near you, call the McHenry County Crisis Line at 1-800-892-8900 or visit www.mchenry-crisis.org. For heroin overdoses - symptoms include convulsions, pinpoint pupils, clammy skin or shallow breathing - immediately dial 9-1-1. Heroin fast facts Heroin, an opium derivative, is highly addictive and the most widely abused and rapidly acting of the opiates. Stemming from morphine itself, heroin was marketed to help Civil War-era soldiers as a "safe" way to kick morphine addictions. In 2006, more than 3.7 million Americans ages 12 or older reported using heroin at least once in their lifetime. That same year, heroin contributed to nearly 190,000 emergency room visits. An annual average of 2.7 million Americans ages 12 or older attend a self-help group because of their use of illicit drugs. Source: Office of National Drug Control Policy, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services McHenry County drug crime arrest comparison Year -Rate per 100,000 - Total drug arrests - Controlled substances - Hypodermic needles 2007 400.8 1,252 232 26 2006 440.1 1,338 311 19 % change -8.9 -6.4 -25.4 -36.8 Source: Crime in Illinois 2007, Annual Uniform Crime Report - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom