Sheriff Bouchard Addresses Heroin Deaths (video)
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 24, 2014)
Reports of heroin overdoses and deaths have spiked in the last year to two years, says Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard. In a recent interview Bouchard spoke with The Oakland County 115 News Hub about the alarming trend, and what his office and the public can do to combat it.
“It’s up dramatically but not just Oakland County,” Bouchard said. “It’s not an isolated thing. It’s up nationally. It’s up across the state and it’s up across the country.” He said that what the community is facing is a reduction in cost of the drug, and an increase in the potency.
“That confluence of two factors have led to more usage and more deaths.”

The numbers for heroin deaths are not specific, because often there can be other substances in a person’s system, including prescription opiates, alcohol, or whatever the heroin may have been mixed with. Bouchard explained that because there is no regulation, people who buy heroin have no idea how strong it is or what else they may be putting into their bodies.
When asked what parents or concerned loved ones can do if they suspect someone is using heroin, Bouchard said “It may not be heroin. It might be depression. It might be other kinds of drugs. It might be bullying. Whatever it is, if you see dramatic change in someone’s behavior, get involved. Let them know you care, and don’t take no for an answer because sometimes this happens very slow, but more often than not it may develop very quickly if you don’t have some kind of intervention, some kind of supportive role.”
He also cautioned people about thinking this could not happen to them or their families. “Drugs affect everyone. I want to be clear about that. This is an equal opportunity punisher. It’s not bad communities, bad kids, or any of that stuff. It’s very often good kids, in good communities with good parents, good schools and just one wrong turn. And so it’s a very concerning, very deadly situation.”
Bouchard also spoke about the need for people to call for help when a potential overdose occurs, the origins of the drugs, and the steps his office is taking to intercept heroin and warn people about its danger. View the entire interview above or at http://youtu.be/p6gYRxT5aKs.