Lethal Heroin

Periodically, I’ll read a headline such as, “Official Seeking Source of Lethal Heroin Mixture” and I always have the same thought: was there ever such a thing as “safe” heroin?  To refer to “lethal heroin” seems staggeringly redundant.  Heroin, like alcohol or any other mood-and-mind altering drug, is a toxin.  Whether it carries additional toxins seems irrelevant.  Poison is poison.

Addiction is an incurable but treatable disease that, left untreated, leads invariably to jails, institutions and death.  Whether the addict dies quickly from the presence of additional drugs in the mix or slowly and painfully from years of ritualistic self-abuse seems beside the point.  No one needs to die from addiction while alternative treatments are available through professional treatment and even free 12-Step fellowships such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.  Treatment works, and recovery is available for any addict who still suffers.

It’s often said that a person doesn’t have to use alcohol or other drugs to suffer from the disease of addiction.  My heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones to this disease and, for those so affected, support is available through organizations such as Al-Anon and Nar-Anon.

Let’s try to keep the focus where it belongs.  Heroin doesn’t need to be cleaned up; people do.

Keith Berger, CBHT
Alternatives in Treatment