Thursday, June 30, 2011

Poppies Are More Than a Pretty Flower


How can something so beautiful be so deadly? While visually beautiful, poppy fields hold a more sinister side as one of the largest factors in producing the lethal drug—Heroin, a growing epidemic amongst today’s youth.

It’s no secret that we are currently in a recession and because of that fewer jobs are available for everyone as well as teenagers. Fewer jobs equal less money which leads today’s younger generation searching for new ways to get a cheap high; and that’s where heroin comes in. Mexican drug traffickers have since expanded their reach throughout the United States, covering the Midwest and Atlantic Seaboard in addition to their already heavy presence in California and Texas making the lethal and addictive drug more accessible.

Heroin’s appeal has also changed. What was once considered an “inner-city” drug is now a drug that can be snorted or smoked, and is appealing to suburban and even rural high school youth. Heroin is the new prescription pain reliever. Those pills often cost upwards of 50 to 80 dollars a tablet, while at around 15 dollars a hit, heroin is considerably cheaper; therefore leading to an upwards rise in heroin usage and addiction among teens.

Find more shocking statistics about the rise in Heroin abuse here