Heroin in Atlanta Suburbs

Heroin use has become so widespread in recent years that it is being called an American epidemic. This is certainly the case of heroin in Atlanta suburbs, where multiple law enforcement agencies recently sponsored the Atlanta Summit on Exploding Heroin Abuse and Overdose Deaths.

Heroin in Atlanta Suburbs Is a Daily Reality

In June 2015, over 180 people came together to discuss heroin in Atlanta and how to solve the growing epidemic. The event was hosted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, the Atlanta-Carolinas HIDTA, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Atlanta Police Department, the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Among those meeting to come up with solutions were:

• Medical professionals
• Lawmakers
• Educators
• Law enforcement personnel
• Substance abuse treatment providers

The epidemic of heroin in Atlanta suburbs and related overdose deaths is so terrifying that the press, lawmakers, professionals and average citizens are experiencing growing concern about Atlanta’s future.

The Director of Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Vernon Keenan, said, “Heroin deaths have dramatically increased in Georgia over the last five years. Today heroin users come from all backgrounds including the affluent and well-educated. People who have become addicted to painkillers are finding heroin is easily accessible and inexpensive. It is important for people to understand how dangerous this drug is and to know what indicators to look for when they suspect someone may be using heroin.”

Jack Killorin, director of the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force added, “We’re seeing a growing user population, moving out of traditional market areas for heroin, moving throughout the state and into the suburbs, into the high schools. Much of this growth has been fueled by abuse of pharmaceuticals, including the illicit pill mills that distributed painkillers. As we have moved to shut down the pill mills, the markets for painkillers dry up and that void filled with heroin.”

Throughout the nation, heroin overdose deaths have grown by 173 percent between 2010 and 2013.

Recognizing the Signs of Heroin in Atlanta and Beyond

Whether you are worried about heroin in Atlanta suburbs or Midwestern states of the U.S., signs of heroin use are the same everywhere. As Vernon Keenan said at the Atlanta suburb summit, it is important for everyone to know the signs of heroin use and addiction.

Signs of heroin use include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dry mouth
• Itching
• Drowsiness and sleepiness for several hours
• Foggy mental state
• Slowed pulse
• Slowed breathing
• Nodding off, alternating between being awake and asleep
• Skin problems like infections, scabs and abscesses
• Heart problems
• Diseased liver or kidneys
• Drug seeking behaviors

Many people look for “track marks” in a loved one’s arms to indicate heroin use. Users do not limit heroin dispersement to injection, but smoke and snort it as well.

Getting Help for Your Loved One’s Heroin Addiction

If you have a loved one who is showing signs of heroin addiction, it is important to talk to them about getting the help they need. Heroin is a one-way ticket to early death. It is more rare for people abusing heroin to live a long life, than it is for them to succumb to their addiction through early death.

Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville FL, is only a short flight or about five hours’ drive from the northern Atlanta suburbs. At Beaches Recovery, you or your loved one suffering in heroin addiction can get rehabilitative treatment you need for lifelong sobriety. At Beaches, the whole being is treated through therapies designed to ensure balance and wellness of the mind, body and spirit.

Call Beaches Recovery now at 8666050532 for help ending your Atlanta heroin addiction. Only hours away, a better, brighter future awaits.