The recent focus on immigration, whether legal or illegal, has also drawn our attention to the real safety concerns that many have regarding securing our borders. The most compelling is the threat of Mexican drug lords and drug trafficking. Over the past few years, there has been an increase in the number of deaths along both sides of the Mexican border. Local communities and law enforcement associate the rise with an increase in the trafficking of heroin. Mexican drug dealers have improved processing methods and refined the ingredients used to produce, which has resulted in a new super potent form of the drug that has higher purity levels and sells for a mere $10 a bag. Way too enticing to U.S. junkies.
According to reports from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), drug overdoses killed more than 33,000 people in 2005, making it the second leading cause of accidental death in America. Since then, deaths from heroin overdoses have been rising sharply. Authorities have found that the main culprit is the new “black tar” heroin. Cities like Chicago for example, have seen the rate of heroin overdoses increase from 10 to 30 percent over the past few years alone. It’s being reported that the new form of the drug is so strong that it has the capacity to kill intravenous drug users before they remove the needle from the injection site. According to recent reports by the Associated Press, “heroin deaths rose 18.2 percent from 2007 to 2008, and 20.3 percent from 2006 to 2008.”
Traditionally, use of the drug was limited to injection. However, currently, the drug is so strong that people can smoke and even snort it. This makes its use more appealing to the young, who explore these methods to avoid the risk of contracting HIV, which is strongly correlated to intravenous drug use. Heroin works in the body via metabolization and because many users also consume other drugs, risk of overdose is increased. Smugglers — mainly from Mexico — pay drug cartels to assist them in getting drugs across the border and along U.S. highways. By some estimates, a successful drug smuggler in the heroin trade can make at least 10 million U.S. dollars a month. Not exactly a bad living … for the unconscionable.
Heroin is an extremely addictive drug, and its abuse may lead to tuberculosis and negative fetal outcomes. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, liver or kidney disease and infections of the heart lining, which may cause pulmonary complications and pneumonia. Caveat emptor (let the buyer beware)! –torrance stephens, ph.d.
For more with Dr. Stephens, visit twitter.com/rawdawgbuffalo and rawdawgb.blogspot.com.
