'Chasing the Dragon' popular amongst teens

KOB Eyewitness News 4 has been following the increasing popularity of heroin use among high school teens and the false idea smoking it is safer.
KOB's Marla Tellez sat down with two mothers and a police officer who know all too well what has happened to some Albuquerque teens .
For four months, Georgia Martinez watched her son Patrick deteriorate mentally and physically until dying a month before his 19th birthday. The El Dorado High graduate died from a rare brain disease known as Toxic Leukoencephalopathy, a consequence of smoking heroin.
"My goal is to make people aware that this exists—that they can die from something probably a lot worse then an overdose," says Martinez.
Jennifer Weiss' 18-year-old son Cameron, a lifelong athlete and model student, isn't enjoying his senior year at La Cueva High School as he should be, dropping out as a consequence of his heroin addiction.
"Chasing the dragon," or smoking heroin is a growing practice among today's youth. Users put the drug on a small piece of aluminum foil, light it from underneath, and inhale the white smoke it creates. The heroin can be bought for as little as $20.
Many users think it's safer and less damaging to the body than injecting because it doesn't leave track marks or sores. The truth is, smoking it is just as deadly.
APD's Commander Doug West says his department is seeing a rise in cases of inhaling, particularly in the last six months because an influx of heroin hitting the streets of Albuquerque though the Juarez corridor.
The latest numbers from the state Health Department show between 2004 to 2008, among 17-24 year olds in Bernalillo County, 18 died overdosing on heroin and five died overdosing on methamphetamine.
There's been a growing movement among Albuquerque parents to combat the smoking of heroin among teens. Visit their Facebook page.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• none

[TheKman581]

Weed ftw because weed doesent kill you :D

[kraziesAT]

Man fuck that $20 bucks a night bullshit, I spent hundreds of $ a night when ever I had access to $. when U hooked $20 ain't shit. U'll be on the move right after your $20 hoot is finished. Stay away from this shit Patna. Its the fucken Devil himself.

[ElectricIndica420]

sensationalist bullshit, heroin is bad, but not in the fear mongering ways their portraying here, i still use it because i just dont care

[iwiid]

just sniff it, way better

[johanlob]

@KORNETS6969 fucking asshole why do you promote using it when you can stay with the good things in life that already  exists and wont make you end up with a needle.

[MrThinPin]

@TheKman581 no, but it triggers mental illness instead. ;)

[theThugLife112]

Heroin kills but boy does it make youfeel fucking good!

[jumpingjug33]

heroin is terrible if i had a choice between taking heroin or blow my leg off with a grenade id take the second option weed hasnt killed anyone in 10'000 years of its use plus its not as addicting stay away from this shit

[kingblackhart]

@iMajesticCx Not as much as smoking foil and cut damages your actual lungs.

[kingblackhart]

@omfg654 yea i know... damn OPs are fuckin worthless. but if you can get roxicodones.... its on!

[iMajesticCx]

@kingblackhart Snorting damages nasal cavity and shooting up is an idiotic way to get high. Have fun destroying your life.

[iMajesticCx]

@dianamartijn You only say that cause your addicted lol.