Last updated : November 11, 2024
One man in Butler County, just north of Cincinnati, Ohio, is attacking the area’s heroin problem in a new and unique way.
Butler County Prosecutor, Michael Gmoser recently put out the word that he wants to hear directly from heroin addicts about their personal struggles with the drug. Gmoser says he has received dozens of calls since the news hit the streets.
He wants to educate himself about the impact of heroin on people’s lives in an effort to find new ways to help solve the serious heroin epidemic in southwest Ohio.
One Woman’s Heroin Story
Gmoser set up an office hotline and has already received at least 65 calls. He recently met with a 36-year-old female who has agreed to share her story. The woman claims that she was first addicted to pain pills before turning to heroin. After her doctor discontinued her painkiller prescription, the desperate woman began purchasing drugs on the street. Eventually, she began using heroin. The woman is now taking Suboxone, a drug designed to treat opiate dependence, and receiving professional counseling to recover from heroin addiction. Gmoser said that the woman has agreed to talk to both elementary and high school students about her addiction and recovery.
Getting to the Root of an Epidemic
Every day that he’s not dealing with another conflict, Gmoser schedules a meeting with an addict to discuss their experiences. His goal is to uncover the root of the heroin epidemic so that he and other public officials can develop programs to combat it. Gmoser says he is tired of listening to experts theorize and pontificate about the region’s heroin problem without ever approaching the problem at its source. He believes that addressing the addicts’ experiences directly can potentially lead to a reduction in addiction and drug-related crime.
Heroin Addiction Ruins Lives
Heroin is a highly addictive substance related to morphine. It goes by many names on the street including smack, black tar, horse, dope, China white and brown sugar. Heroin affects the pleasure centers of the brain and interferes with the user’s sensitivity to pain. It can be injected, inhaled, smoked or snorted. Nearly 50 percent of young heroin users report using prescription opioids before turning to heroin.
