Heroin cheap and easy to get for some teens

By Staff Writer

The Chicago Tribune reports that heroin is becoming more popular among teenagers in Illinois because it is more affordable than other illegal drugs.

A recent study by Roosevelt University revealed that the number of people in Illinois who were admitted into treatment for heroin between 1998 and 2008 increased by 400 percent. An official with a counseling center in the Prairie State said that many of the abusers of the opioid are teenagers because of its price. She said that most bags of heroin only go for $10.

According to the news provider, there are several signs that an individual is using heroin, many of which are physical symptoms, including runny noses and eyes. In addition, heroin users typically spend a large amount of time sleeping and have an unkempt appearance.

Needle marks - or tracks - on a person's arm is a tip-off, as well, but the counselor told the news source that many users opt for other areas of their body for injection of the drug. She also said that teens who make frequent, or urgent, trips into a city from the suburbs may be purchasing heroin.

According to the 2008 Monitoring the Future study, more than 25 percent of 12th graders in America said that is was fairly easy or very easy to access heroin.