Crime and heroin addiction have long been associated together. This is due to many reasons such as the fact that heroin importation and distribution are illegal. Also, heroin and crime are synonymous because many addicted people turn to theft and prostitution to obtain money to buy the drug. Violent competition between drug dealers has resulted in many murders and the deaths of innocent bystanders. From 1979 through 1990 arrests for heroin manufacture, sale, or possession in the United States held steady, but in the 1990s arrests rose as the drug's popularity began to increase once more. When posed the question, “Who’s using heroin?” the answer may not be what one would expect. An epidemic of heroin use over the past five years crosses generational, socioeconomic and geographic boundaries to plague all areas of American culture. Heroin, once a drug primarily associated with aging inner-city addicts, has become popular among suburban and rural populations, and is used by adults and adolescents. Methamphetamine addicts may lose their teeth abnormally quickly, a condition known as "meth mouth". Once the heroin is smuggled into America, drug dealers cut, or dilute, the heroin (1 part heroin to 9 to 99 parts dilutor) with sugars, starch, or powdered milk before selling it to addicts. Also, quinine is added to imitate the bitter taste of heroin so the addict cannot tell how much heroin is actually present. Heroin is often sold in single-dose bags of 0.1 gram (0.03 oz.), each costing between $5 and $46 (1992). One pound of diluted heroin yields approximately 4,500 doses. |
