Heroin Rising: the Resurgence of Heroin and Opiate Abuse

Eryck Kratville Chief, Heroin Interdiction TeamOffice of the Special Narcotics

Prosecutor for the City of New York

Heroin: A Growing Problem… again

• 2007 – 2014: 145% increase in heroin use nationwide

• 2007 – 2014: 174% increase in heroin addiction nationwide

• Just under 1,000,000 Americans used heroin sometime in 2014

• More than 500,000 Americans were addicted to heroin in 2014

Heroin: A Growing Problem… again

• Particular problem: Americans 18-25

• In 2007, one American 18-25 addicted to heroin for every five addicted to cocaine (61k v. 300k)

• By 2014, four Americans 18-25 addicted to heroin for every three addicted to cocaine (152k v. 114k)

Heroin Epidemic Takes New Shape

1960’s / 1970’s Today

• Urban, poor users • Suburban, rural, middle class users

• Drug injected • Drug snorted, smoked

• Gateway: Marijuana

• Gateway: Addictive Pills

Precursor: Abuse of Legal Drugs

Precursor: Abuse of Legal Drugs

• About 1/3 of opioid pill addicts become addicted to heroin

• Doesn’t matter if originally used pills for medical or recreational reasons

• Average of three years from first pill to first use of heroin (median)

• Heroin: cheaper and more accessible than pills

Precursor: Abuse of Legal Drugs

WARNING SIGNS1. High-dose opioid pills (>= 10mg

oxycodone)2. Nasal inhalation of pills3. Physical dependence (withdrawal)4. Reduced heroin stigma in social

circles

The Overdose Epidemic(New York City)

• 2000 – 2013: over 10,000 overdose deaths due to opioid abuse

• Heroin overdose rate has more than doubled since 2010

• Nearly 80% of all drug overdoses in NYC involved opioid pills or heroin, more than half involved heroin

NYC: 2010 –11 Heroin Death Rates

NYC: 2012-13 Heroin Death Rates

The Overdose Epidemic:Naloxone

• Naloxone – Can prevent overdose deaths, EASY TO LEARN

• NYS Dept. of Health website can direct you to training programs and free kits

• In 2014, more than 400 overdose deaths were prevented with naloxone administered by Suffolk County Police

• Heroin seizures in the US increased 87% over the past five years

• Doses are tiny: a single kilogram of heroin can be broken down into as many as 50,000 single-use glassines

The Increasing Heroin Supply

The Increasing Heroin Supply

Mexico

Colombia

New York

DR

Methods of Concealment: Banana Leaves (2010)

Methods of Concealment: Container Crate of Sofas (2012)

Methods of Concealment: Coffee Beans (2013)