JACKSON, Miss.–The number of people using heroin in Mississippi has gone up. Thirteen people have died of overdoses in the past year, and that’s compared to six people in 2013.
Mississippi may be following a national trend. Four times many people this year died, compared to ten years ago.
What is surprising to some doctors and addiction professionals is that some of the people who are using the drug now are not what some would call “junkies”. Apparently some people are becoming addicted after running out their prescribed opiate pain killers run out.
“One thing that we can do right now is use other modalities to treat chronic pain,” said Dr. Scott Hambleton, medical director for the Miss. Professionals Health Program and addiction expert.
About 60 percent more people with private insurance are using heroin since 2003, indicating those users were employed and more financially secure.
