According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Los Angeles has seen a major increase in heroin use among teens in the past few years. They say that the typical heroin user is becoming younger and younger. First-time users between the ages of 12-17 had increased by 80% by February 2016.
In 2010, changes were made to Oxycontin, making it harder to abuse. A very large percentage of those users turned to heroin instead. Because it’s a chemically created street drug, the cost of heroin in Los Angeles in low, making it easily accessible. This is one reason experts give for the increase in heroin addicts in LA, and across Southern California in general.
Heroin addiction treatment in Los Angeles comes in multiple forms, including pharmacological (meds) and behavioral treatment programs. Both focus on restoring as much brain function normalcy as possible, while addressing behavior. This lowers their chances of contracting HIV, AIDS, hepatitis and other diseases caused by using dirty needles. Because heroin is such an addictive drug, treatment experts advise using a combination of both.
One of the most common types of treatments for heroin addicts in Los Angeles is a pharmacological form which involves Methadone. This is an opioid agonist that kicks in slowly, preventing the withdrawal symptoms, yet without causing a major high.
