60 Minutes Story Highlights Heroin Epidemic in Suburban Communities

CBS, November 1, 2015

On Sunday, 60 Minutes ran a story about the heroin epidemic, as it increasingly spreads to suburban communities across the country. All of the young people profiled in the story became addicted to heroin after abusing prescription drugs – some starting with painkillers prescribed following an injury, others were misusing them recreationally. This piece brings attention to the fact that heroin is inexpensive and available in all of our communities, and a problem that has the potential to impact any young person.

Federal and local authorities all over the country say it's the biggest drug epidemic today. Not methamphetamines or cocaine, but heroin.

You might think of heroin as primarily an inner-city problem. But dealers, connected to Mexican drug cartels, are making huge profits by expanding to new, lucrative markets: suburbs all across the country. It's basic economics. The dealers are going where the money is and they're cultivating a new set of consumers: high school students, college athletes, teachers and professionals.

Heroin is showing up everywhere -- in places like Columbus, Ohio . The area has long been viewed as so typically Middle American that, for years, many companies have gone there to test new products. We went to the Columbus suburbs to see how heroin is taking hold in the heartland. Read more

For resources to talk to youth about the dangers of substance abuse, click here

and Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.