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Heroin Makes a Comeback
Price falls, availability surges for drug
By Nick McMaster
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Posted Aug 5, 09 5:00 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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The last 2 weeks have seen authorities seize huge amounts of heroin across the country—a combined 510 pounds in California, plus 17 more in New York. The drug hasn't been this readily available since the 1970s, reports the Christian Science Monitor, and authorities are worried because today's version is cheaper, more potent, and ending up in the hands of younger users.
"One thing with higher purity is that kids can get hooked much faster," says a drug enforcement official in California. Most of the heroin in the US comes from Mexico, with an ounce going for $250, down from $800 a decade ago. Adding to the problem: a powdered form is now available to snort for those who want to avoid needles.