Heroin Usage In Oxford Is Rising

By Kelly Wagner

Miami University journalism student

Heroin use has been increasing in the United States, with some saying the country is in the midst of an epidemic.

"There is a heroin problem in Oxford," Oxford police officer Ben Hool says.

Part of the reason for that is the price. Hool says the opioid, which can be injected or snorted, can cost as little as 10 dollars, which makes it appealing for individuals with not a lot of money.

Oxford Fire Department Captain Chris Johns says that's something he's noticed as well.

"The runs I’ve been on," he says, "it’s been the lower income people.”

Hool says heroin is considered an “easy” high, but that the drug is highly addictive and makes users feel terrible when they can't get it.

Heroin Use Up In Oxford

The number of Oxford residents using heroin increases every year.

“It all really started five to 10 years ago, in that range, with prescription meds,” Hool says. Hool believes that users switch from other drugs to heroin because it is cheap and available.

The increase in heroin usage also leads to the rise of other crimes. According to Hool, users become so desperate to obtain heroin that they will rob homes or break into cars to steal loose change in order to get money for the drug.

“It gets to the point where they feel sick… they would rather be dead, they just feel like absolute garbage. So, that leads to all our car break-ins, petty thefts, shoplifting, a lot of burglaries are up, thefts are up because they are getting stuff to trade,” Hool says.

Heroin Users Hard To Catch

Since May, three people in Oxford have been charged with heroin possession according to Matt Stitzel, the records specialist at the Oxford Police Department. But those numbers may not reflect the true nature of the problem in the city.

“We know it’s here, we just don’t see it as much,” fire department captain Chris Johns says.

He adds that the Oxford Fire Department responds to one or two heroin overdoses a month

Hool says that one of the reasons why not many people are caught with heroin is because there are many more users than dealers.

"Once you get heroin it's gone quickly," he says. "We don't get physical heroin often, we usually see it when a person overdoses.”

Community Response

A number of city agencies have partnered in order to curb the spread and use of heroin in Oxford.

Matt Wagers, the Oxford Police Department’s School Resource Officer, does seminars at the local schools with kids and parents about the use of drugs and alcohol. Hool believes this kind of education is needed in order stop the use of heroin and other drugs.

The Oxford Coalition for a Healthy Community has a working group devoted to the problem of drug abuse in the city and there is talk of the city launching a task force specifically designed to focus on opioid abuse.

Photo: Inside the Oxford Police Station at the front desk on Saturday. -- Photo by Kelly Wagner.