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Christiana Gaied
Writing 104
Professor Kemmett
13 March 2015
A Heroin Holiday
For many people, the holidays bring joy and comfort; however, for others, it
brings an unbearable amount of sadness and stress. According to the Surveillance for
Violent Deaths, the rates of suicides and drug overdoses increase significantly during the
holiday season. Unfortunately, this year was one of the worst its ever been, especially in
Middlesex County, Massachusetts. There has been a great outbreak in heroin overdoses
leaving suburban communities in confusion and distress wondering where the drug came
from, why it is here, why its causing so many deaths; and most importantly, what can be
done to fix it.
The spike in overdoses began during the last week of December 2014 and
continued through January 2015. The timing is no surprise considering the last week of
December consists of holiday parties and gift giving, leaving a depressed drug addict.
Heroin was introduced to the United States shortly after it was invented in Germany in
1874. According to Narconon International, a popular drug rehabilitation center, The
sales pitch that created an instant market to American doctors and their morphine
addicted patients was that Heroin was a safe, non-addictive substitute for morphine.
The US did not recognize the danger of this drug until 1920 when Congress created the
Dangerous Drug Act, illegalizing the drug and regulating its distribution (Heroin|CESAR

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1). Since then, there has been a dramatic shift in the demographics of heroin users.
Heroin was almost always known as a drug used primarily by the poor in inner cities,
until now, making the Middlesex County community wonder how it got here. White
suburban men and women in there twenties are the new face of heroin addicts. All it
starts with is the addiction to prescription opiates, which are strong painkillers. Once
those run out, addicts turn to heroin because its cheaper and easier to get. Eventually,
teenagers become addicted while raiding their parents medicine cabinets and selling
them at school. An easy high and quick money are all these teenage users are focused on
sadly because they are uneducated on the consequences of heroin and the toll it takes on
users and their families.
During these few weeks, in about every county in the state of Mass, an obvious
increase in overdoses has been occurring. The Boston Globe published one of many
articles addressing this epidemic and interviewed Attleboro police Chief, Kyle Heagney,
on the matter. Police used to get one or two overdose calls a month, but for the past two
weeks, weve been getting at least one a day (Alen 1). State police are working with
local police to put a stop to these deaths, however theres not much one can do to stop an
addict besides urge them to seek help. Counties have been issuing alerts, warning
residents of high numbers of overdoses and encouraging them to reach out to users.
Luckily because of the hard work of investigators and police, it has been revealed that the
heroin used by those who overdosed was laced with fentanyl, which is thirty times more
powerful than heroin alone (1). Now that the cause of deaths has been solved, the next

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step is to find a solution that will prevent the drug from entering suburban areas and
helping those who are addicted.
A variety of solutions and treatments are available for heroin addiction, both
medical and behavioral. Since heroin is such a strong opioid, users who first quit undergo
a series of withdrawal symptoms ranging from pain and diarrhea to nausea and vomiting.
These can be cured by medications that activate opioid receptors (What are the 1). Now
that a proven solution is available, all that must be done is convincing addicts to enter a
new stage of their lives and partake in treatment. Chief executive of Lahey Health
Behavioral Services says he is working with the Department of Public Health to get the
drug Narcan, which reverses the effects of an overdose. He expresses that the goal here
is to keep people alive until theyre ready for treatment. Other opioids consist of
Methadone, which is taken orally so that it reaches the brain slowly, dampening the
high that occurs with other routes of administration while preventing withdrawal
symptoms (1). Another medication option addicts are given is Buprenorphine, also
known as Subutex. Subutex is primarily known for relieving drug cravings while
avoiding side effects or any type of high. This treatment is highly suggested in the
hopes of preventing overdoses because it is affordable. One of the most recent FDA
approved medications is Naltrexone, which blocks the action of opioids, is not addictive
or sedating, and does not result in physical dependence (1). With the correct guidance
from loved ones and certified physicians, getting prescribed to these medications may
positively influence an addicts life.

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Other solutions for heroin addiction include behavioral steps one must take. To
stop the rapid transportation of heroin to suburban areas, families and friends of addicts
must speak up when noticing strange behavior. Treatment facilities should be available in
every town and easily accessible when it comes to admitting a patient. Also, they should
cooperate with families and patients considering the difficult circumstances they are
under. Parents, loved ones, and schools must take the initiative and educate teenagers
and young adults on the heavy risks of drugs, especially heroin. Teenagers are so caught
up in this world making it difficult to understand how something so small can take such a
big toll on ones life.
Middlesex County has taken some of the necessary steps to help prevent as many
heroin overdoses as possible. Besides urging users to seek help, they have provided local
listings of treatment centers and facilities. Those who start using heroin recreationally
soon find the drug becomes more important than work, family, and everything in
between. If a friend or loved one becomes an addict, one must immediately reach out to
treatment consultants and address the problem right away before it is too late.

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Works Cited
What are the treatments for heroin addiction? NIH. National Institute on Drug Abuse,
n.d. Web. Nov. 2014.
"Heroin | CESAR." CESAR. University of Maryland, Oct. 2013. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.
Allen, Evan. Spike in heroin overdoses across Mass. stirs fear. The Boston Globe 6
Feb. 2014: 1. The Boston Globe. Web. 9 Mar. 2015.