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11-Year-Old Heroin Addicts: A Shocking Texas Phenomenon
November 29, 2006 10:54 AM
Anna Schecter Reports:
Ross_cheese_nr_1 A new wave of 10- to 12-year-olds addicted to heroin is washing up at Dallas drug rehab centers and emergency rooms.
The preteens are mixing the powerful opiate with crushed Tylenol PM, a concoction they call "cheese," according to Michelle Hemm, Director of the Dallas Phoenix House drug treatment facility.
As reported in "The Blotter" in May, a few 11-year-olds in Dallas were using "cheese," but now that is a common phenomenon in Dallas schools.
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS
"We've seen a huge increase in referrals for 'cheese,' and a huge decrease in the age of the kids that are being referred," said Hemm. "We've had mostly 11- and 12-year-olds in the last few months."
Hemm says she has had to turn away most of the preteen referrals because they are too young. She is only licensed to treat addicts between 13- and 17-years-old. "The young kids aren't emotionally ready for our program," said Hemm.
An exception was made for one 11-year-old whose mother lied about his age to get him admitted, according to Hemm. "The 11-year-old that we had in here had overdosed several times and had detoxed several times."
A 14-year-old who overdosed on heroin was rushed to the Dallas children's hospital ER last week in critical condition. The teen had been snorting "cheese," according to Dr. Kurt Kleinschmidt, who was on call when the patient arrived. "He should have died; it's amazing he didn't," said Kleinschmidt.
The heroin crosses the Mexican border into Texas, where traffickers sell it to high school and middle school students in Dallas, who mix it up with Tylenol PM into "cheese," according to the Dallas Independent School District Police Department.
The elementary school-aged children often get the "cheese" from older siblings at the middle school across the street from the elementary school, Hemm says her patients tell her.
DEA officials in Washington say they have not seen the "cheese" phenomenon anywhere outside of Dallas.
November 29, 2006 10:54 AM
Anna Schecter Reports:
Ross_cheese_nr_1 A new wave of 10- to 12-year-olds addicted to heroin is washing up at Dallas drug rehab centers and emergency rooms.
The preteens are mixing the powerful opiate with crushed Tylenol PM, a concoction they call "cheese," according to Michelle Hemm, Director of the Dallas Phoenix House drug treatment facility.
As reported in "The Blotter" in May, a few 11-year-olds in Dallas were using "cheese," but now that is a common phenomenon in Dallas schools.
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS
"We've seen a huge increase in referrals for 'cheese,' and a huge decrease in the age of the kids that are being referred," said Hemm. "We've had mostly 11- and 12-year-olds in the last few months."
Hemm says she has had to turn away most of the preteen referrals because they are too young. She is only licensed to treat addicts between 13- and 17-years-old. "The young kids aren't emotionally ready for our program," said Hemm.
An exception was made for one 11-year-old whose mother lied about his age to get him admitted, according to Hemm. "The 11-year-old that we had in here had overdosed several times and had detoxed several times."
A 14-year-old who overdosed on heroin was rushed to the Dallas children's hospital ER last week in critical condition. The teen had been snorting "cheese," according to Dr. Kurt Kleinschmidt, who was on call when the patient arrived. "He should have died; it's amazing he didn't," said Kleinschmidt.
The heroin crosses the Mexican border into Texas, where traffickers sell it to high school and middle school students in Dallas, who mix it up with Tylenol PM into "cheese," according to the Dallas Independent School District Police Department.
The elementary school-aged children often get the "cheese" from older siblings at the middle school across the street from the elementary school, Hemm says her patients tell her.
DEA officials in Washington say they have not seen the "cheese" phenomenon anywhere outside of Dallas.
