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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015
Heroin: Deaths hit law enforcement, community hard
Heroin overdose deaths have
ranged from about one to three a year
in Clatsop County over the past de-
cade, according to the Oregon State
Medical (xaminer’s Of¿ce. Of¿cials
say the number of deaths and con-
victions from heroin may actually be
higher than reported since the drug
may be a factor in other cases.
Continued from Page 1A
A major reason behind the surge of
heroin is the prevalence of prescription
drug abuse.
Bergin said the Àood of prescrip-
tion pills on society has led to addic-
tion. Once people start illegally abus-
ing prescription drugs, their dealers
often transition them to the cheaper
option of heroin.
In some cases, a person will have
a legitimate injury and be placed on
opiates for pain management and then
over time transition to heroin. The
CDC has reported that some of the
greatest increases in heroin use have
occurred among women and people
with private insurance and higher in-
comes, demographic groups that have
not historically abused the drug.
“The availability is out there and
they can only afford the pills for so
long,” Bergin said.
Ted
Ames
Trying to save lives
The Astoria Fire Department has
responded to many calls involving
heroin over the past few years.
In 201, the ¿re department re-
sponded to seven calls speci¿cally ref-
erencing heroin. Three of those were
overdoses and four were withdrawals.
This year to date, the ¿re depart-
ment has had six heroin-related calls.
Three were for overdoses and three
were for withdrawals.
Astoria Fire Chief Ted Ames said
Tom
¿rst responders have been able to
Bergin
prevent heroin deaths by using the
Solutions
anti-overdose drug, naloxone, which
As for solutions to the heroin epidemic, Ber- can counter the effects of opiates. Oregon law
gin relates the drug problem to weeds in a yard.
changed in 2013 to allow wider access to nalox-
Bergin wants all Clatsop County communities one.
to be drug-free, just like people want their yards
Ames said his department and others around
to be weed-free.
Clatsop County have used naloxone well before
Law enforcement agencies work to keep up it was made more widely available. The drug can
on the drug problem by focusing on a mixture of be administered through a nasal mist, injection
enforcement and treatment. A total of 150 people in a muscle or through an IV. Although it saves
have been convicted of possessing heroin in Clat- lives, naloxone can cause serious side effects, in-
sop County since 2010, according to ¿gures from cluding seizures.
the District Attorney’s Of¿ce.
“Sometimes people come out of it really up-
Many of those convicted are eligible for drug set,” Ames said. “It’s not without consequences.”
court, which Bergin said has become a successful
Unfortunately, not everyone can be saved.
deterrent to keep people from relapsing.
The overdose deaths of the pregnant woman
Heroin is especially dangerous because it and the young man, who was a participant in the
is so addictive. Someone can use the drug one Clatsop County drug court, hit law enforcement
time and be hooked. Unlike prescription pills that and the community hard.
come in measured amounts, a dose of heroin may
“I’ve worked around here for quite a while,”
not be exact or could be mixed with other sub- Halverson said. “I have to tell too many mothers
stances. The variability leads to overdoses.
that their kid died because of a drug overdose.
“Not all drugs are deadly, but this de¿nitely These young people have so much in front of
has the ability to end someone’s life,” Halverson them. To see that potential go away because of a
said.
drug overdose is really sad.”
Daily Astorian/File Photo
Narcan, also called naloxone hydrochloride, has been used by medical personnel for
years to counteract the effects of opiates such as heroin.
Coberly: He is one of 12 students in work experience programs
Continued from Page 1A
loss over the years of many
vocational opportunities in
school. He said there are
plenty of businesses in the
region that could create simi-
lar trades-based opportunities
for youth, and he would like
to reach out more to students
who are struggling and need
hard-working role models.
Luke Colvin, another
co-founder of Buoy Beer, said
it was always his intention to
give back through his busi-
ness.
“There’s been a big prob-
lem in Astoria with our
youth, retaining our kids
here, and there’s not a lot
of really great job opportu-
nities,” Colvin said. “Part of
what was behind it was we
wanted to expose kids at a
younger age to a growing
industry that is in this com-
munity here. There’s such an
expansion of the craft indus-
try and fermentation in gen-
eral in the Northwest.”
Colvin said he found will-
ing participants for the experi-
ence through the high school’s
administration.
“A program like this pro-
vides a unique and useful
career exploration opportu-
nity,” said counselor Andrew
Fick, who helped review
applications from sever-
al students interested in the
program. “There are also
post-secondary programs that
would build upon this kind of
experience.”
Fick said Coberly is one
of 12 students in work ex-
perience programs at vari-
ous job sites. Other students
shadow professionals, take
classes at Columbia Memo-
rial Hospital and learn about
various careers during senior
projects.
“This is certainly some-
thing that is outside the box,”
Astoria Principal Lynn Jack-
son said of Coberly’s experi-
ence.
It’s ironic, he said, that
education is moving back to-
ward an apprenticeship model
hundreds, if not thousands, of
years old.
— Edward Stratton
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Wauna Credit Union has been recognized by Oregon
%usiness 0agazine as one oI the %est 1onSro¿ts
To Work For in Oregon. This is the Oregon Business
Magazine’s 7th Annual Top 100 List, which analyzed
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“We are thrilled by this wonderful recognition,” reports
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3ictured, L to R 6ara .ulp, 6haron Borgardt, Marc 6ilva,
Robert Blumberg, -ohn Moore, Gina Dines, 3am Weller,
Debi 6miley, Danea 3assmore, David Merrell.