The effects of heroin and opioids in East Idaho
It’s hard to avoid the headlines about the country’s addiction to heroin and opioids. However, the eastern Idaho region isn’t exempt from the drug, and it’s causing as big of a problem.
One law enforcement officer in the region who specializes in drug investigations — who will go by John Smith since his work is mostly undercover — said synthetic opiates kicked up around two years ago.
What makes these drugs more dangerous than the drugs before? “It doesn’t discriminate. It gets anyone and everyone,” Smith said. “It’s the soccer mom, it’s the professional, it’s the student-athlete and unfortunately it’s the mom that’s having a baby.”
In his experience, he said he’s seen most of the addictions start when they first need help.
“For many people it started out innocently,” Smith said. “For a sports injury or some type of ailment, which then ultimately ended up as an addiction.
In Pocatello, there were 302 drug charges in 2014. For 2015, it took a little dip to 262 charges. Bannock County was different, in 2014 it filed 292 drug felony charges and increased to 415 drug felonies in 2015.
In 2014, Idaho Falls recorded 365 drug charges, seeing an increase to 486 in 2015. Bonneville County also saw an increase, from 221 drug felonies in 2014 to 292 drug felonies in 2015.
For Smith, the most surprising thing he’s seen from heroin and opioid addictions is the number of deaths caused by the drugs. He describes the number heroin and opium-based accidental overdoses as “beyond his recognition as a policeman,” even going as far to say it’s “unbelievable.”
At the Portneuf Medical Center in Pocatello, emergency medicine physician Dr. Curtis Sandy has seen this rise first-hand in the emergency room. Like Smith, Sandy said the heroin and opioid problem is definitely a tougher battle than the area’s history with meth.
“Meth is terrible, but it doesn’t cause the respiratory depression that the narcotics do,” said Sandy. “That’s really why individuals stop breathing when they overdose.”
To help combat the problem, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new opiate prescription guidelines for healthcare providers nationwide in March. The guidelines promote using non-opioid drugs and prescribing low doses of opiates if necessary.
Some healthcare providers, like Dr. Holly Zoe of Teton Sports and Spine, said these guidelines were way overdue.
Zoe has been practicing pain management for nearly a decade in Idaho. For her, the guidelines shed a light on the problem for physicians and the general public. In her practice, she already tries to prevent starting an addiction in her patients.
She said, “I always approach with astep-wise approach, meaning non-invasive ways to treat patients. (I try not to be) dependent on opiates because it’s the last method I prefer to use.”
Whether you think someone is using or not, bringing up the dangers of heroin and opioids can be a hard topic to bring up.
Brooke Hurt, a counselor at A to Z Family Services, specializes in addictions counseling. She said if you generally want to talk about it with adults, it’s best to try being subtle. For example, mention you’ve noticed a rise in heroin use and are concerned about it, then talk about the dangers.
For teenagers and children, however, Hurt said it’s never too early to talk about, and it’s best to be direct.
“We are going to want to be a little bit more educational and a little bit more confrontational,” Hurt said. “Maybe talking a little bit more about the effects of drugs and the things that could happen to them if they use too many.”
Here are warning signs of heroin/opioid users, according to Hurt:
Pinpointed pupils. Might sleep more than they used to. Could become unreliable, hard to depend on. Erratic mood swings, one minute they’re fine the next they’re not. Could have a stupor of thought, this is when they’re talking to you and all of a sudden lose train of thought. If using hand gestures might literally freeze.
If you feel someone is using and you want to talk to them about it, Hurt recommends never directly asking if they are.
It’s best to bring it up subtly, for example, you could ask, “I’m concerned you’ve been acting differently, is there anything going on? Anything I can help you with?” By asking those questions, it’ll show you want to help.
Here are drug/substance abuse resources locally:
Heroin Resource MapHere’s a list of drug/substance abuse resources online:
Narcotics Anonymous National Institute on Drug Abuse Recovery Partnership for Drug-Free Kids
