Heroin Overdose Issue Hits Close to Home for TRBT Photographer.

On June 7, 2017 I experienced first hand the growing heroin epidemic in southwest Ohio. As I was returning home from the grocery store with my 3 year old son, I noticed several police cruisers and an ambulance near the alley where my home is in Middletown. I rushed my son inside and grabbed my camera to snap a few photos.

I spoke with some local residents to find out what had happened and was informed that there had been a heroin overdose in the 4 unit apartment right across the alley from my home. I spoke with one of the officers on scene who wished to remain anonymous due to policy. I asked him how often this happens in the area. He informed me that just today in his 8 hour shift, he had responded to 4 heroin overdose calls.

Heroin use and overdoses have become a very big issue in southwest Ohio due to increasing economic hardship, the choke-hold of Big Pharma on pain medications that create addiction, and the many vacant, blighted properties caused by the housing market crash of 2008. In my own neighborhood, many houses are boarded up and seemingly not fit for occupation. These become a hotbed for drugs and other illicit activity. Many cities are having problems keeping up with this epidemic because funding and staffing are suffering due to the poor economy. I spoke to my neighbor for a short time after the incident concluded. He informed me that there have been several cases of heroin use and illegal activity in the area. He told me there had been several attempts to break into his home and car by drug abusers in the area. The victim remains unidentified as of now, but I am told by the responding officers that the paramedics were able to revive him using NARCAN. Article and images by: Mathieu C. Hubin