Primary Artifact #2

While I was doing some research behind the drug problem in Cincinnati, I came across a video released by WLWT 5 news that supplied a lot of useful information about the epidemic. Over the past 9 years, there has been a 183 percent increase in heroin overdoses.  The US attorney has begun stepping in to try to find a solution because of the drastic increasing death toll due to this drug and Ohio has been said to be the center for this epidemic. Researchers have seen heroin starting to take the place of crack cocaine because it is has become cheaper and is much easier to obtain. In the northeast and southern parts of Ohio, young adults between the ages of 25-36 seem to be the most at risk for trying and getting dependent on heroin. Heroin is made from the extracts of the Asian opium poppy plant and is very addictive because it is processed from morphine. It has grown into such a big problem because over 23% of first time users become addicted. This addiction leads to an individual's drive for more and more which leads to fatal overdoses. There has been some discussion about targeting the dealers in order to prevent this vicious cycle from spreading further, but conflicts still arise because some critics say the only way to attack this problem is by informing the public and promoting prevention. With all the new information I gathered from this video, I want to look into the different ways to attack a drug epidemic and see what has been the most effective approach in recent history. This will allow me to better inform my readers and it will allow me to come to my own decision about how this can best be handled.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/us-attorney-ohio-at-center-of-national-heroin-epidemic/33034396