Heroin Addiction Growing in St. Louis

April 13th, 2011

The St. Louis Metro area has seen a rise of heroin addiction in the recent years with an estimated one person dying a day due to overdose. To make matters worse, St. Louis treatment centers are becoming so overwhelmed with addicts that the necessary resources for aid are becoming scarce.

For treatment center ARCA, the number of heroin-addicted patients has quadrupled in the previous year alone, causing them to open a second clinic to satisfying the overwhelming demand.

One doctor reported that they could not find a bed for 3000 people who requested treatment for their own personal addictions. Fears are rampant that the addicts who are turned down for treatment may return to using due to the fact that they are unable to receive help.

Support groups are at an even larger danger. Due to the fact that they are non-profit, they are given even less resources to supply an even larger demand.

The State of Missouri will be holding an emergency meeting in St. Louis on Thursday for law enforcement and counselors to address the heroin issue and to find ways to control the spiraling problem.

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Brandon Yu, Senior Managing Editor