PAGE A12, KEIZERTIMES, NOVEMBER 27, 2015
DRUGS,
continued from Page A1
Those conclusions match
what investigators with the
Keizer Police Department
have found, as referenced in
previous stories of the ongo-
ing Chasing Dark series in the
Keizertimes.
According to the report,
more than 120 people die
each day in the United States
from a drug overdose.
Many of the Chasing Dark
stories have focused on heroin
use locally. The DEA report
supports that by showing the
increased heroin use in recent
years.
For example, one chart
shows the greatest drug threats
and lists cocaine, meth, mari-
juana, heroin and controlled
prescription drugs (CPDs).
In 2007 heroin was fourth on
the list, with about 8 percent
of respondents reporting it to
be the biggest threat. By 2009
heroin was up to third with
about 13 percent. That num-
ber jumped to 25 percent in
2013 and 29 percent in 2014.
In 2015, heroin surpassed
meth as the biggest threat, at
38 percent.
“The threat posed by
heroin in the United States
is serious and has increased
since 2007,” the report states.
“Heroin is available in larger
quantities, used by a larger
number of people, and is caus-
ing an increasing number of
overdose deaths. Increased de-
mand for, and use of, heroin is
being driven by both increas-
ing availability of heroin in the
U.S. market and by some opi-
oid CPD abusers using heroin.
CPD abusers who begin using
heroin do so chiefl y because
of price differences, but also
because of availability, and the
reformulation of OxyContin,
a commonly abused prescrip-
tion opioid.
“Heroin overdose deaths
are increasing in many cities
and counties across the Unit-
ed States, particularly in the
Northeast, as well as areas of
the Midwest,” the report adds,
listing possible reasons for the
increased overdose death of
heroin users as an overall in-
crease in heroin users, high
purity batches of heroin, more
new users who are young and
inexperienced with the drug
and the use of highly toxic
heroin adulterants such as fen-
tanyl.
“Further, heroin users who
have stopped using heroin for
a period of time (due to treat-
Celts pick up 25
all-league honors
McNary athletes scooped
up a bevy of honors in all-
league selections for Greater
Valley Conference fall sports.
In football, Hayden Sader
was named fi rst team tight
end; Brady Sparks was named
fi rst team running back; and
Kolby Barker was named to
the defensive line of the fi rst
team by unanimous vote.
Second team honors went
to: Trent Van Cleave, quar-
terback; Jason Sperle, center;
Matt Aguilar, receiver; La-
Croix Hill, defensive line; and
Kyle Aicher, safety.
Honorable mentions went
to: Caleb Kiefl uk-Yates, of-
fensive tackle; Aicher, run-
ning back; Gage Mance, line-
backer; and Tanner Gordon,
safety.
In girls soccer, Kelli Miller
received fi rst team, all-league
honors. Honorable mentions
were: Kayla Evans, Michaela
Sanchez, Abigail Smith and
Jessy Shore.
In boys soccer, Gustavo
Villalvazo was named to the
fi rst team all-league and Pau-
lo Reyes was named to the
second team all-league. Ra-
mon Duenas was an honor-
able mention.
In volleyball, Vanessa Hayes
received fi rst team, all-league
honors while Madi Hings-
ton, Sydney Hunter and Ky-
lie Gilmour were named to
the second team all-league.
Madie Cloyd was an honor-
able mention.
ment programs, incarceration,
etc.) and subsequently return
to using heroin are particu-
larly susceptible to overdose,
because their tolerance for the
drug has decreased,” the re-
port states.
According to the survey,
53 percent of respondents this
year said heroin availability
was high or moderate in their
area, with 65 percent saying
heroin availability was increas-
ing and 64 percent saying her-
oin demand was increasing.
Of the DEA’s 21 fi eld di-
visions, 10 reported heroin
availability was high in the
fi rst half of 2014.
According to National
Seizure System data, heroin
seizures in the U.S. increased
81 percent over a fi ve-year
period, from 2,763 kilograms
in 2010 to 5,014 kilograms in
2014.
The average size of a hero-
in seizure more than doubled
during that time period, from
.86 kilograms in 2010 to 1.74
kilograms in 2014.
Data from the National
Survey on Drug Use and
Health shows an 80 percent
increase in heroin users from
2007 to 2012, increasing from
161,000 users in 2007 to
335,000 in 2012.
In addition, the survey
found a 26 percent increase
in users who reported lifetime
heroin usage.
Between 2007 and 2013,
the number of heroin-related
overdose deaths in the U.S.
increased from 2,402 in 2007
to 8,257 in 2013. More alarm-
ing, there were approximately
3,000 such deaths in 2010,
meaning a signifi cant uptick
in just three years.
Worse yet, it’s believed the
number of heroin deaths are
underreported.
BIDS,
continued from Page A1
c hasing
Dark
“Heroin deaths are of-
ten undercounted because of
variations in state reporting
procedures, and because hero-
in metabolizes into morphine
very quickly in the body, mak-
ing it diffi cult to determine
the presence of heroin,” the
report states.
Relief isn’t expected any-
time soon.
“Heroin use and overdose
deaths are likely to continue to
increase in the near term,” ac-
cording to the report. “Mexi-
can traffi ckers are making a
concerted effort to increase
heroin availability in the U.S.
market. The drug’s increased
availability and relatively low
cost make it attractive to the
large number of opioid abus-
ers (both prescription opioid
and heroin) in the United
States.”
The full report can be found
online at http://www.dea.gov/
docs/2015%20NDTA%20Re-
port.pdf.
While underground infra-
structure and moving of lines
continued this week, above
ground work around the inter-
section of Chemawa and Verda
will be done next year.
“Unless approved otherwise,
trees confl icting with the work
will be removed sometime in
February, prior to the March
1 start of the migratory bird
nesting season,” Cronemiller
said. “The fences will be dealt
with during the course of
construction, estimated to start
June 1 or shortly thereafter.”
Per statute and specifi cation,
ODOT awards contracts
within 30 days of bid opening.
After the decision has been
made to award the contract to
the lowest responsible bidder,
ODOT staff must determine
the bidder in question meets
certain criteria, including
having a satisfactory record
of performance and integrity,
available resources and is legally
qualifi ed to do the work.
The roundabout, a source
of controversy since being
announced, was originally
going to be constructed in
the summer of 2014. The
approximately $2 million
project was brought up due
to long lines on Chemawa
during peak traffi c times in the
morning and evening.
The roundabout was then
going to be built this past
summer, but in February the
project got delayed another
year. At that time, the Nov. 19
bid opening date was set.
Construction is expected
to last about three months.
Depending on when the work
starts next summer, it could be
completed before the 2016-17
school year begins.
Donate gift cards
to military families
The public can help families of deployed Oregon National
Guard personnel this holiday season by donating gift cards. Fam-
ilies of the deployed often experience fi nancial diffi culties and
the donated gift cards offer relief.
Gift cards for groceries, toys, clothing and gasoline are most
sought after. Purchased gift cards can be mailed to: Oregon Na-
tional Guard Association, PO Box 14350, Salem, OR 97309.
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