STEUBEN COUNTY (WENY) - Authorities in Steuben County are working to put a stop to the increasing number of drug related deaths that have recently devastated the community.
From here on out any drug related deaths within Steuben County will now be looked at as potential crime. District Attorney Brooks Baker says the goal of the new initiative is to make the county a lousy place to deal drugs. "We're seeing deaths and overdoses that is just unprecedented and we haven't dealt with before," explains District Attorney Baker.
Previously, drug overdose deaths within the county were treated as "unattended or accidental deaths." D.A. Baker says "those deaths aren't accidents, somebody sold those drugs to that person. Somehow those drugs, whether we are dealing with heroin or synthetics, they got to that person. There was a crime that made that happen and that's what we're going to look at now."
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D.A. Baker says their plan is to find out where it's coming from and stop the drugs from getting into the community. "People don't home grow heroin in Steuben County. They don't home grow like they do methanphetamine or other things like synthetic drugs that are killing people at this stage. The problem is coming in from the outside thats why we're trying to deal with it in a different way," says
Pennsylvania State Police and the Bradford County Coroner's Office are investigating three drug related deaths that happened in the last three days. Authorities believe the anesthesia prescription drug, fetanyl, is being added into a batch of heroin that's causing the fatal overdoses.
"What the federal government does and what some states do, is what's called an analog law. Basically what it says is, if this substance is being sold for human consumption, and it looks like a drug, and it acts like a drug, and has the affects of a drug, and it fits in a category, we'll call it a drug in that category; it's called an analog law. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it's a duck for federal purposes," said Baker. The state of New York does not have an analog law, something DA Baker has fought for, along with other representatives from the Southern
As in the past, the four main drug threats in our service area have been cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana. Our service saw a slight increase of heroin. In 2014 we seized/purchased a total of 154.2 grams of heroin, while seizing/purchasing 178.85 grams in 2015. We are very aware of the national attention heroin currently has received through
Many people may not realize this but multiple states, including Michigan, are facing an epidemic. It is not a disease, however, it is a heroin epidemic. In a country where addictive opioid pain-killer prescriptions are handed out like candy, it not surprising heroin, also known as smack or thunder, has become a serious problem. The current heroin epidemic Michigan is facing, as are dozens of other states, has spiraled out of control in recent years. In Michigan, some of the areas hit hardest by this drug are in the southern portion of the state, like Wayne, Oakland, and Monroe Counties. The connection between painkillers and heroin may not be clear, but this is because both are classified as opioid drugs, and therefore cause many of the same positive and negative side effects. As a country, we are currently the largest consumer of opioids in the world; almost the entire world supply of hydrocodone (the opioid in Vicodin) and 81% of the world’s oxycodone (in Percocet and OxyContin) is used by the United States (Volkow). Along with consuming most of the world’s most common opioids, we have gone from 76 million of these prescriptions in 1991 to 207 million in 2013 – constantly increasing except for a small decrease starting in 2012 (Volkow). This widespread use has caused numerous consequences from increasing emergency room visits – for both painkillers and heroin – to sky-rocking overdose cases all over the country (Volkow). Michigan, unfortunately, currently has one of the
In my community, we have a bad case of drugs. In the community of Chambersburg, there is lot of heroin. Not only is there heroin but there is many other drugs that the people of Chambersburg sell and make. A few of those drugs are marijuana, cocain, and meth, ect. But it is very difficult to find out who is dealing, and who is using. Here are some article I found about drug use in Chambersburg.
Our justice system has been battling the distribution of narcotics. Not only are drugs being distributed amongst our communities, but they also affect the lives of many innocent victims. One may ask, how does it affect innocent victims? The
When someone buys drugs then dies from said drugs it would seem obvious that the person who gave them those drugs should be held responsible for their death. However, it is not that black and white legally. While there is a clear and specific punishment if found guilty. The real issue is what it takes for a person to be found guilty of such a crime.
Even with the city of Cumberland trying their hardest to stop this epidemic their efforts are not enough. However, they are doing a couple of things to help. The first thing their doing is they have a methadone clinic. “A methadone clinic is a place where a person who is addicted to opioid-based drugs, such as heroin or
West Virginia the highest rate for an overdose in this particular state. The heroin is an inexpensive drug to buy, drug dealer can make their money this way. This particular drug Heroin gives you an internal rush it keeps you going for a couple hours. Levi says these rates are high because they started at a young age. Also Levi said “is too keep the kids interested in a sport of some kind of activities is so they don’t get hooked on this particular drug”. (McCormick, 2015) Heroin has taken a heavy toll in parts of West Virginia. Prosecutor attorney William Fell said Baltimore is the first heroin addiction and then Berkeley is the second highest heroin issues. Officer Master said the drug dealer is willing to drive to a larger city to get the heroin cheaper like the Pittsburgh District of Columbia or even Baltimore. (McCormick, 2015). This website called West Virginia Broadcasting said ‘The drug dealers will go to Berkley to get new customers or to get more people interested in this drug. Also the West Virginia Broadcasting mention Heroin Mass is up with person breathing system”. (Vorhees, 2015). West Virginia Broadcasting, Dr. Harman said When a person goes into an overdose, when they are brought to the hospital, they are given Narcan to bring them back to a normal breathing relaxing stage. (Vorhees, 2015). The doctor Harman said “will allow family members and friends of addicts to get a prescription for Naloxone” (Vorhees, 2015). Fire department Chad Jones said (Mistich,
In the last couple of months there has been a lot of arrests made, due to drug related crimes. Here in West Wendover and Wendover tons of different types of drugs have entered this little city. It is actually sad seeing how many people are getting themselves into drugs. People that had their lives in line accomplishing new goals, and out of know where they are sitting in a jail cell waiting to be sentenced. Just recently
West Virginia has the highest rate for an overdose in this particular state. The heroin is an inexpensive drug to buy. Drug dealer can make their money this way. This particular drug called Heroin gives you an internal rush it keeps you going for a couple hours. This website called West Virginia Public broadcasting Levi says these rates are high because they started at a young age. Also Levi said “is too keep the kids interested in a sport of some kind of activities is so they don’t get hooked on this particular drug”. (McCormick, 2015) Heroin has taken a heavy toll in parts of West Virginia. The website called West Virginia Public Broadcasting Prosecutor attorney William Fell said Baltimore is the first heroin addiction and then Berkeley is the second highest heroin issues (Mccormick, 2015).The website called West Virginia Public Broadcasting said Officer Master said the drug dealer is willing to drive to a larger city to get the heroin cheaper like the Pittsburgh District of Columbia or even Baltimore. (McCormick, 2015). This website called West Virginia Public Broadcasting said ‘The drug dealers will go to Berkley to get new customers or to get more people interested in this drug. Also the West Virginia Broadcasting mention Heroin Mass is up with person breathing system”. (Vorhees, 2015). West Virginia Broadcasting, Dr. Harman said When a person goes into an overdose, when they are brought to the hospital, they are given Narcan to bring them back to a normal breathing
Although there are many police programs and policies followed by cities, that aim to lower overdose deaths, it is obviously not enough when one witnesses the continuing rising numbers of deaths. Statistics do not lie; the proof is in the
In the Maryland Gazette there was article that read, “Glen Burnie Tackles Opioids Crisis”. This article stated that there were three people dead and 16 overdosed on opioids. Now Opioids are a substance used to treat severe pain. But people use them to get a type of morphine-like effect. You can be very addicted to opioids if you use it enough. In Glen Burnie there was so many incidents in less that twenty four hours. Its also a problem in other counties too. Glen Burnie happens to be near the area of Baltimore so, Baltimore to suffers from this horrible problem.
The Allen County Health Department looked at every overdose death from 2008 to 2015. It found white, male, employed individuals were predominately the victims of deadly overdoses.
Michigan’s drug problem is a significant one. In fact, in 2012, drug overdose was the number one cause of injury-related deaths in the state. As of 2014, Michigan’s drug overdose death rates are up 14%. Throughout the state drug poisoning deaths increased from 1,535 to 1,745 in 2014.Lt. Governor Brain Calley, who is