Heroin on the rise in Poplar Bluff, Missouri

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Intro:	As police have cracked down on methamphetamine in the state of Missouri, police officials say heroin has taken off.
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Wrap: Poplar Bluff Detective Corey Mitchell says drug abusers have switched from the use of pain pills and meth to heroin.

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Description: "They see that there is a, a market for it now, so they're purchasing the heroin, transporting it down here and selling it."

Mitchell says heroin is being sold in pill capsules and balloons on the streets for as little as 10 dollars per dose.

Mitchell also says that the heroin is potent enough to kill a person on their first use.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Alex Goldman.

Intro:	Missouri police officials say drug addicts are replacing methamphetamine usage with heroin.
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Wrap: As police have cracked down on methamphetamine and prescription drug abuse, heroin has surfaced as one of the state's deadliest drugs.

Poplar Bluff Detective Corey Mitchell says drug addicts are switching from pain pills and meth to heroin because of how easy it is to obtain.

What drug addicts do not know is how potent the heroin is.

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Description: "This drug right here is one of the purest drugs out on the market, and it's got to be cut down to 1-10 percent because if you do it 80-90 percent purity, it's gonna kill you."

Mitchell says teenagers are snorting heroin eliminating the need to buy needles.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Alex Goldman.

Intro:	State police officials say as meth labs are being shut down in Missouri, heroin is making it's presence known.
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Wrap: A market for heroin has emerged in Missouri over the past few years as police have cracked down on other drugs like methamphetamine.

Poplar Bluff Detective Corey Mitchell says the potency of this heroin is strong enough to kill a first time user.

Mitchell says a heroin high is followed by extreme withdrawal symptoms.

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Description: "The withdrawals start coming in:the shaking, the convulsions, the vomiting. A violent withdrawal and that's why they're going to be needing more and more so they don't have to go through the withdrawals."

Mitchell says the heroin high lasts about an hour and the withdrawals last anywhere from 3 to 5 hours.

Reporting from Jefferson City, I'm Alex Goldman.