Ultimately, we all pay a price for heroin use, through higher crime and increased costs for law enforcement, incarceration and social services. That's why it is everyone's business to join the search for solutions. There is not likely to be any magic bullet to eliminate heroin use. It will take a combination of education, law enforcement and treatment to make significant progress. Parents are on the front lines in this war.
Young people are especially vulnerable to heroin because they often experiment with drugs.
However, there is still a tremendous stigma associated with heroin use, and many parents are reluctant to acknowledge that their child may be using. That has to change. Cooley Dickinson Hospital treats one heroin overdose victim a month, and users are getting younger and younger. It's a horrifying thought for any parent, but it is a reality that must be confronted. The shame surrounding heroin use cannot overshadow the need to take action.