OFFICIALS WARY OF HEROIN USE

Police Say Pill Abuse Has Kept Opiate Minimal

The availability of narcotics in central Wisconsin has prevented
heroin abuse from becoming a serious problem, but local drug
counselors and law enforcement agencies are keeping a wary eye.

Heroin is an opiate drug, a group of substances that also includes
common painkillers hydrocodone (Vicodin) and oxycodone
(OxyContin).

OxyContin was the target of several high-profile robberies at
Wausau-area drugstores during the past year. Area cash advance stores
also were robbed, often to pay for drugs, police said.

Many drug addicts start using the less expensive heroin when they
can't afford or are unable to steal prescription painkillers, said
David Forsythe, who oversees the narcotics bureau in Wausau for the
state Department of Criminal Investigations.

Prescription drugs taken improperly are dangerous enough. Charles
Tabaka, 19, of Mosinee died in July 2007 in the town of Wausau of a
methadone overdose. Methadone is a drug often used to help people
with heroin withdrawal. Tyler Trelka, 14, of Junction City died in
October 2007 in Stevens Point of a drug overdose after another
14-year-old allegedly supplied him with morphine and Vicodin pills at
a party.

But heroin is worse, police say. A heroin distribution ring broken up
earlier this month outside Milwaukee was linked to five fatal
overdoses. The heroin is more pure and far stronger than users
bargain for, Forsythe said.

"We're hearing about (heroin), but it's not a big sweeping thing (in
central Wisconsin)," Forsythe said.

Marathon County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Schneck, who leads the
department's special investigations unit, could not remember a
heroin-related arrest in recent years but said the drug is in the
community. Although heroin is a major problem in Milwaukee, that city
doesn't have the methamphetamine abuse problem found in central
Wisconsin, he said.

Sue Nowak, an alcohol and drug prevention specialist at Premiere
Recovery Services of North Central Health Care, said teenagers she
works with are aware of heroin but still have easy access to
narcotics. "Pharm parties," where teens share many pharmaceuticals,
are common.

Nowak hopes that by reducing prescription drug abuse, heroin won't
become entrenched in the area.

"I'm a strong believer that you have to be aware of what is going on
in the community and have healthy discussions with each other and
young people," Nowak said.