South Dakota's Attorney General has a warning about a drug that is becoming more prevalent in the state.
Marty Jackley wants people to know that heroin is here and is very dangerous. Local law enforcement officers are preparing for an increase in the drug.
"Methamphetamine use is right now our number one problem. We're just trying to get a handle on the heroin use as much as we can and stop it before it does become a huge problem," Aberdeen detective Brad Jung said.
Police arrested a man with heroin in Aberdeen last week, according to a release from the department.
Jackley says there is a heroin epidemic nationally. He pays close attention to drug trends in certain areas to predict what is coming toward South Dakota.
"We look to the Midwest, and Wisconsin shows us that we have an epidemic of heroin use and abuse across the Midwest. It's coming to South Dakota," Jackley said.
He says arrests tied to Heroin are up and so are patients in emergency rooms and treatment centers. Worthmore Addiction Services in Aberdeen is seeing numbers rise.
"Heroin is starting to trickle in," addiction counselor Jamie Milbrandt said. "And whether it's people directly from Aberdeen or we take referrals from all over the state, and so even seeing those referrals from Sioux Falls and Rapid City area too that are also starting to get access to heroin."
That is concerning for those battling the drug as they watch what is happening in cities already facing big problems with it.
"They're having a lot of heroin overdoses and we just don't want to get to that point," Jung said.
"We're unfortunately experiencing some deaths as a result to heroin in South Dakota. It's a very dangerous drug," Jackley said.
Jackley says he wants to see growing awareness of heroin's dangers to help keep it out of South Dakota.
He can point to different reasons behind the increase in heroin traffic and says a lot of it boils down to supply and demand. It's harder to get prescription pills so some are also turning to heroin.
Marty Jackley wants people to know that heroin is here and is very dangerous. Local law enforcement officers are preparing for an increase in the drug.
"Methamphetamine use is right now our number one problem. We're just trying to get a handle on the heroin use as much as we can and stop it before it does become a huge problem," Aberdeen detective Brad Jung said.
Police arrested a man with heroin in Aberdeen last week, according to a release from the department.
Jackley says there is a heroin epidemic nationally. He pays close attention to drug trends in certain areas to predict what is coming toward South Dakota.
"We look to the Midwest, and Wisconsin shows us that we have an epidemic of heroin use and abuse across the Midwest. It's coming to South Dakota," Jackley said.
He says arrests tied to Heroin are up and so are patients in emergency rooms and treatment centers. Worthmore Addiction Services in Aberdeen is seeing numbers rise.
"Heroin is starting to trickle in," addiction counselor Jamie Milbrandt said. "And whether it's people directly from Aberdeen or we take referrals from all over the state, and so even seeing those referrals from Sioux Falls and Rapid City area too that are also starting to get access to heroin."
That is concerning for those battling the drug as they watch what is happening in cities already facing big problems with it.
"They're having a lot of heroin overdoses and we just don't want to get to that point," Jung said.
"We're unfortunately experiencing some deaths as a result to heroin in South Dakota. It's a very dangerous drug," Jackley said.
Jackley says he wants to see growing awareness of heroin's dangers to help keep it out of South Dakota.
He can point to different reasons behind the increase in heroin traffic and says a lot of it boils down to supply and demand. It's harder to get prescription pills so some are also turning to heroin.