‘Twenty years ago, half of the heroin addicts in treatment lived in two states — New York and California,’ according to Dr. Joe Gay, director of Health Recovery Services in Ohio, ‘Now we’re seeing it spread out of the cities, into the suburbs and into the rural areas.’
National data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that the number of teens dying from heroin abuse has skyrocketed. In 1999, 198 people between the ages of 15 and 24 died of a heroin overdose, compared to 510 deaths in 2009, the latest year data was taken.
More teens are seeking treatment for heroin abuse, too — the figure jumped from 4,414 to more than 21,000 (about 80 percent) between 1999 and 2009. Ninety percent of teen heroin addicts are white, according to the data.
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/heroin-soars-suburban-teens-t-talk-heroin-problem-talking-prescription-drug-problem-article-1.1099140?localLinksEnabled=false
Source: NYDailyNews.com – June 20, 2012