Last week The Mountain Enterprise reported statistics showing heroin use has increased dramatically here, and throughout the state. Kern County Sheriff’s Sergeant Mark Brown compiled crime investigation trends over the past five years. We request and review this data to update the community. At the Mountain Community Coalition Against Substance Abuse (McCASA) meeting January 16 members talked about the influx of “dirt,” a brown powdery heroin substance. The sergeant said the first time he saw it, he thought it was hashish.

“It is not like that black tar heroin that looks like road tar. This is being sniffed, smoked and injected. It is very cheap right now, coming from Mexico into our rural communities, and we have an epidemic in the State of California,” he said.

Over the coming weeks, we all need to take a good look at  this picture of McCASA members. Then walk to the nearest mirror and get real. You, me, our families, neighbors and coalitions like McCASA are going to need to step up to make a difference in trafficking that puts all of us and our children at risk.

Photo caption:
Sgt. Mark Brown helped ring the alarm about heroin trafficking here.

To see full stories with photos, please go to The Mountain Enterprise e-Edition

(login required)

You can have your newspaper delivered via mail! Just call 661-245-3794.

Also, this story and others are available right now at newsstands throughout the Mountain Communities.

This is part of the January 24, 2014 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

Have an opinion on this matter? We'd like to hear from you.