Experts say that heroin may make a comeback as prescription drug abuse rises

Recently, officials from Kentucky announced that many residents suffer from prescription drug abuse, most notably painkillers. These substances often contain opiates, which can be highly addictive.

However, now the state is suffering from a similar opiate-based drug in heroin, news station WLKY reports. Louisville law enforcement officials recently announced that four local men died from overdoses in two separate incidences.

“What we have in the area is a large use of prescription pain pills, and [they] have become very expensive, and once you start it, the need your body has increases,” Carey Klain, Louiville police spokesperson and officer, told the news source.

Officials added that when people become addicted to opiate painkillers, they often fill the need with heroin, which may be cheaper than the pills. Furthermore, when people make the switch over to heroin they may be unsure of the amount their bodies can handle, which can result in an overdose.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the number of current heroin users age 12 or older in the U.S. increased from 153,000 in 2007 to 213,000 in 2008.