HEROIN OVERTAKES COCAINE AS STATE'S TOP DRUG THREAT

JOHNSTOWN: Deadly Colombian heroin is replacing cocaine as the state's most
serious drug threat, federal and local authorities confirm.

The change will be published this fall in an annual state drug assessment
by the National Drug Intelligence Center, NDIC staff told The Valley News
Dispatch. The NDIC uses reports from the Drug Enforcement Administration,
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Central Intelligence Agency, military and
local police to compile state-by- state drug assessments for a counterdrug
intelligence plan.

While powder and crack cocaine, Ecstasy and club drugs, marijuana and
OxyContin misuse remain problems in the Pittsburgh area, Colombian heroin
is the state's most serious drug threat, NDIC spokeswoman Lynn Hollinger said.

The heroin threat won't be soon shoved aside by dangerous homemade
methamphetamine, even though it too is a growing problem in parts of the
state just north of the Valley, said NDIC senior analyst Robin Baggio.

"Heroin abuse is high and continued. There are now more hospital
admissions, and there is more emergency room treatment for heroin than for
cocaine" across the state, Baggio said.

She said there is evidence of increased heroin use by youth.

She agreed with a Valley News Dispatch finding that heroin sales are
increasing in parts of the state, even though dozens of mid- and
street-level dealers have been arrested in the Valley and other parts of
the state.

Heroin also is deadly. "There are also a significant number of heroin
deaths," Baggio said.

Thus far in 2002, at least 92 heroin deaths have been reported by
Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler and Westmoreland county coroner offices.

Since Jan. 1, 36 heroin alone and 36 heroin-other substance deaths were
reported in Allegheny County. Heroin killed more in the county, but the
cases haven't been confirmed, yet because there is a backup in processing
toxicology reports, county epidemiologist Steve Koehler said Friday.

Coroners report 12 deaths in Westmoreland County, seven in Butler County
and one in Armstrong County thus far this year.

Last year, the NDIC said heroin was the second most serious threat in the
state. However, police and the DEA learned that some cocaine dealers were
giving away samples of heroin. Later some Valley and other dealers cut
prices to entice users, several officers in the Valley said.

Dealers know addicts will pay almost anything for the drug once they are
hooked.

Methamphetamine is a growing problem, but it likely won't soon replace
heroin as the state's major drug threat, Baggio said.

Meth is becoming an increasing problem in Bradford, Warren, Forrest and Elk
counties and is a problem in California, Arizona, eastern Ohio and parts of
New York state, the NDIC and U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan confirmed.

"Meth isn't just a biker drug anymore," Baggio said.

Some analysts think meth eventually might rival heroin as a drug threat
because meth addicts display violent behavior, meth chemicals are explosive
when mixed and left-over chemicals are toxic but usually are carelessly
discarded.

Although meth is a problem, there is no evidence that heroin will be soon
replaced as the most serious drug threat, Baggio said.

The Colombian heroin blizzard is challenging police, courts, physicians and
families in the Valley and across the state.

"We see it every day," District Justice Carolyn Bengel said in Harrison.
District Justice J. Gary DeComo is emphasizing heroin as a threat when he
takes his anti-drug and alcohol program into Ford City and other Armstrong
County schools.

"We do see the effects of drug abuse. It's rampant," said funeral director
Ross Walker III, who also is an Upper Burrell supervisor.

"It's so cheap. It's $10 to $15 a bag. In Vandergrift, they may pay $25,
but it's still cheap, and it's everywhere," said Upper Burrell Police Sgt.
Les Jones.

"It's as worse as I've seen it, because there is so much acceptance by the
kids," said Lower Burrell Detective Sgt. Robert Galvanek.

"We're seeing more heroin now. In the past, it was an inner-city drug.

That's no longer the case," said Allegheny County Detective Lt. Harold
Kline. "We see middle class and suburban people buying it. It's of higher
purity, and it's cheaper. It can be smoked or snorted."

In 2000, Americans spent about $36 million on cocaine and $10 billion on
heroin.

The 2001 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse estimates that 3.1 million
Americans - about 1.4 percent of the population - age 12 or older had tried
heroin at least once. About 456,000 used it within 2000-01, and 123,000
said they used it within the past month.

The survey said 3.1 percent of the nation's high school students admitted
to using heroin at least once.

A Drug Abuse Warning Network survey estimates heroin caused about 252
drug-related emergency room visits for every 100,000 people in the United
States last year. But in 2001 in the Philadelphia area, there were 573
visits to emergency rooms for every 100,000 people. No figures were
available for the Pittsburgh region.

Effects Of Heroin

After injecting heroin, users feel a surge of euphoria and a warm flushing
of the skin, a dry mouth and heavy feeling in their arms and legs,
according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The office's Web site reports that after injecting heroin, users are
alternately wakeful and drowsy and their thinking becomes muddled for
several hours. Breathing may slow or even stop.

Repeated needle use can cause collapsed veins, infection to the heart
lining and valves, abscesses and liver disease. Lung damage and pneumonia
also are common, the office explains.

Heroin withdrawal can cause drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone
pain, vomiting and other symptoms.

Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last
injection and usually end within a week.

The office said users put themselves at risk of HIV, hepatitis B and C and
other blood-borne illnesses. Also, because users are at risk because they
cannot know the actual strength of the drug or if there are additives,
overdosing or poisoning is a possibility.

Alle-Kiski Drug Summit

This week a special meeting will tell parents, teachers and others about
drugs that pose a threat to Valley youth and adults.

The Alle-Kiski Drug Summit will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in
the Clarion Hotel along Tarentum Bridge Road, New Kensington. The summit is
free and open to the public. A parent's guide will be distributed.

The Valley News Dispatch proposed the summit and follow-up activities
because of heroin, crack cocaine, OxyContin and other deaths in the area.
The goal is to help parents and teachers dissuade youth drug use.

The Allegheny-Kiski Health Foundation stepped forward when asked to make
the summit possible and assistance was provided by the Allegheny Valley
Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Attorney's Office and other partners.

The 7 p.m. summit will feature 15-minute talks by federal, state and local
experts, a recovered addict and mothers of two women who died because of
heroin. A question and answer period is scheduled.

Participating teachers will receive Act 48 hours if they register by
calling 724-226-8338.