FORSYTH COUNTY, N.C. - Addictive, and often deadly, opioids and heroin have gripped our nation. Though the drug has been a problem for decades, it's now coming into the light as a true public health crisis.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heroin use has increased over the past couple years among men and women - in most age groups, and at all income levels. Some of the biggest statistical increases have occurred in women, those who are privately insured, and people with higher incomes.
The CDC reports three out of four new heroin users got hooked after abusing prescription opioids, and local first responders say - that's often how the elderly end up hooked on heroin.
Captain Tara Tucker with Forsyth County EMS says, often it starts when doctors cut down on the number of pills they give, or stop prescribing opiods altogether because of the addictive qualities. But, the seniors, who may have been taking the pills for years, are still in pain.
"Now that there is more awareness [about opioids], some of the physicians are trying to get their folks off of some of the stronger pain medications, " she said, "They stop writing prescriptions, and the person doesn’t know what else to do. They are still hurting so they resort, believe it or not to getting heroin off the streets."
When the paramedics get a call to a senior who's using, it's not always for an overdose. It could be something like a fall or cardiac arrest, but it's an associated risk to opioid use. Captain Tucker says studies show that the elderly are seven times more likely to fall on opioids, than before the prescription.
"It’s hard for them to admit that they’re using heroin and, believe it or not seniors are directly shooting up heroin," said Tucker, "So for them to admit that - it’s hard. So we really have to enforce that we are here to help because we don’t just go over there, we want to connect them to other treatment options."
Captain Tucker says medication-assisted treatment is key if your loved one is using, or will soon be taken off a narcotic. We've included links here and here to local - just a few local treatment centers.
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