Drugs Now the Leading Killer of Ohioans

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More Ohioans are being killed by drugs than by car crashes.

According to drug counseling and treatment services, state agencies and federal health officials, Ohio's spike in overdose deaths has been caused by heroin, cocaine and opiates like methadone, Oxycontin and Vicodin.

"I started when I was 21 because of a boyfriend," said Maryhaven client Monica Wright. She was hooked after her first heroin hit. In less than a year, she's lost her job, pawned some of her valuables and overdosed twice.

"You can get it pretty much anywhere. I mean, there's a spot you can walk to and there's dealers all on the corner," she said.

Paul Coleman, President and CEO of Maryhaven, said Central Ohio has an oversupply of heroin. The oversupply has driven down the cost and made the drug more accessible. He said, this year, there have been at least 70 heroin-related deaths in Athens County alone.

"We have seen a change in the demographic of the patient at Maryhaven," he says. "We have seen a younger patient presenting here at Maryhaven. We have seen patients present from parts of our community that many people would assume, wrongly, do not have a drug problem."

In September, five Worthington 18 to 20 year olds were arrested and accused of drug trafficking. Investigators claimed the young people were selling heroin in the parking lot of the Worthington Mall. At the time, police told NBC 4 that heroin was becoming the drug of choice for young people because it is less expensive and readily available.

Statistics from the Ohio Highway Patrol and the Ohio Department of Health say there were 1,191 traffic deaths in 2008. That's down 5 percent from the year before. Overdose deaths, though, were up 8.6 percent to 1,458.

Among Maryhaven patients, opiate use has spiked, too. In 2002, 38 percent reported using opiates. That jumped to 68 percent in 2008. Much of it was heroin.

"The very first dose can be lethal," Coleman said. Monica Wright says both of her overdoses happened on just "half a shot."

"Heroin is being imported into Central Ohio in varying strengths by varying pushers," Coleman said. Users don't know how strong the drugs they're buying might be and how their bodies will react to it.
According to Coleman, "the body tolerance differs depending on what you do with heroin."

Treatment budgets have been slashed by the state. In 2009, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services was given $37.8 million to distribute to the counties for treatment services. The
proposed budget for 2010 would reportedly cut that to $26 million, to be divided among Ohio's 88 counties.

"[Funding] has something to do with it," says Maryhaven's Coleman, "but I can't say that's the major cause."

He said Maryhaven is a small hospital with a limited number of beds and the waiting period for admission has gone from 24 to 36 hours to 48 to 72 hours. The wait time can be critical for a person looking to kick a habit, he said."The individual has to have treatment available as soon as they make the decision to get better."

Monica has decided to make a change. And, for now, there is funding to keep her program running. She and Maryhaven hope it stays that way.

"Because heroin is really dangerous. Any shot could be your last," she says.

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