The Christian Science Monitor reports that a growing number of heroin arrests and overdose deaths around the country point to a resurgence of the drug not seen since the 1970s. Today’s heroin, much more potent than 30 years ago, appears to be appealing to younger users, who are moving from prescription pills to harder drugs.
Heroin trafficked into California comes from Afghanistan and Myanmar via Mexico. Its rise in availability has pushed down the price, from $800 an ounce a decade ago to around $250 an ounce today. This could be because Mexican drug trafficking organizations have a backlog of dope because of the deadly government-led crackdown on the drug trade there, say California drug enforcement officers. This means traffickers may be pressuring stateside dealers to buy heroin along with other drugs, resulting in the heroin market being flooded.