AHS Views

I read with some horror a story on CNN about a new street drug called “cheese” heroin that has already killed more than 20 young people in Dallas, TX. “Cheese” is Mexican heroin blended with crushed over-the-counter medications that contain the antihistamine diphenhydramine, found in products such as Tylenol PM. The problem for users is that even before you get addicted you might get killed. Percentage-wise, far fewer traditional heroin addicts die, and they have a chance to live long enough to get into a drug rehab program and reclaim their lives.

“Cheese” is not only deadly, it’s very cheap – about $2 for a single hit. It is snorted through a straw or a ballpoint pen, and causes drowsiness, lethargy, euphoria, excessive thirst and disorientation. “That is, if the user survives,” the article says. The sedative effects of the heroin and the nighttime sleep aids “make for a deadly brew.” And a Dallas policeman said it’s “a double whammy – you’re getting two downers at once.”Police and school officials have called public meetings to get the word out about the dangers of the new drug. Some Dallas students made a public service announcement for local TV, and there’s a hotline number for people needing help. Drug treatment centers in Dallas say “cheese” addicts are now as common as those seeking help for marijuana addiction. One treatment center has received nearly 140 calls from people worried about family members, and has provided drug rehab treatment for more than 60 users after initial drug detox programs.The drug probably got the name “cheese” because it looks like grated Parmesan cheese. Another theory is that it sounds like the Spanish word “chiva,” street slang for heroin.

Whatever it’s called, authorities are worried that it will spread across the country. A DEA agent said that all parents should be concerned about drug trends anywhere in the country because kids use the Internet and cell phones to chat about their experiences, whether they are safe and legal or otherwise.If you are the parent of a high school or college age student, please be warned to watch closely for unusual behavior or other symptoms of drug abuse. It’s never too soon to have a heart-to-heart talk about the dangers of drug abuse and to get someone into a successful drug rehab program that could save their life.