HOPE AFTER HEROIN

Michael Duffy meandered up Broadway. He knocked on door after door searching
for just the right one to open. Once inside, he took whatever he could
carry, CDs, DVDs, jewelry, money and sold it all for drugs. In Salem District
Court on Monday, Jan. 31, Duffy shook his head as the prosecuting attorney
outlined his actions.

Duffy is 19, and, according to his attorney, is addicted to Oxycotin
and heroin. The Beverly resident admitted to breaking into more than
150 homes across the North Shore during a seven-month period. But we
haven't even gotten our feet wet yet.

Less than a month ago, District Attorney John Blodgett told a
gathering of more than 500 Essex County residents and area officials
that if something wasn't done to stem what he called an "epidemic" of
heroin use in our communities a crime wave would crash through our
cities and flood our homes with horror. Once upon a time, Beverly
considered itself a sleepy little community overflowing only with
contented visions of paradise. Sure, on occasion tragedy interrupted
our faraway thoughts spurring joint meetings of collaborative efforts
to stop any such event from ever happening in our city again. That
time is over.

While we still consider our city a seaside haven to wash away our
woes we can no longer be shocked by events which have all but overrun
our newspaper headlines. We commend Beverly's Criminal Investigation
Division for its efforts in attacking the issue both during its
continuing undercover efforts as well as its head on handling of
heroin addicts.

It is also heartening that local officials have moved forward on a
citizen task-force to study the tragedy of opiate addiction in our
midst. But more must be done. State legislators must start funneling
funds to local law enforcement officers to help them concentrate on
the matter. In addition, more money must go to those non-profits who
help addicts overcome their aliments. And finally, we must not be
content to watch the seaside shift and the wave of crime and despair
covers us. Learn about the drug and its effects. Talk to local health
and police officials. Talk to school staff and teachers. But most
importantly, talk to your children and let them know that not only
could this drug be deadly for them it's dangerous for us all.