Heroin, heavily abused in Clearfield and Jefferson County

The Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission has been serving Clearfield and Jefferson County since 1977. 

Employees said they provide services to help people with drug and alcohol abuse. 

While most people might think the two counties are rather rural, employees said a lot of drugs are still circulating amongst the two counties. 

In 2004, Susan Ford, executive director of the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission, said they began to see heroin start to get popular. 

Nearly a decade later, Ford said the drug is around more than ever. 

Ford told 6 News that they consider alcohol a drug in their terminology. When it comes to most used drugs in Clearfield and Jefferson County, Ford said alcohol is abused the most. Ford said that heroin is not too far behind. 

Police in Jefferson County said that in recent years they have noticed a number of dealers coming in from Pittsburgh. 

Officials said selling heroin is a lucrative business, which is why people from cities are bringing it to rural areas. 

Ford said that in the two counties, they are seeing heroin used more than the popular opiate, marijuana. 

Officials across the two counties warn drug users that heroin is a highly addictive drug. 

Officers described "shooting up" for the first time as the best high a user will ever experience. 

Police said that they have also responded to calls where someone used the drug for the first time and died due to overdose. 

At the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission they have seen hundreds of heroin users walk through their doors in the last decade. 

Jennifer Hamilton, who also works for the commission, said that heroin abuse is also bringing infectious diseases to the area. 

Hamilton said that the needles used when using heroin can spread Hepatitis C. 

Hamilton said that at the Drug and Alcohol commission, they see a number of people who come in looking for testing. 

From May 2007 through December 2011 Hamilton said they screened 497 people for Hepatitis C. Of that number 312 of the people were substance abusers. 

Hamilton said that while Hepatitis C is a curable disease, they are seeing it more frequently in the two counties due to heroin use. 

In an effort to raise awareness about heroin use, the commission created a heroin task force a few years ago. Hamilton and Ford encourage people to get involved to help spread the word about the drug. 

Ford said that the spike in heroin abuse could be because of the downturn in the economy and the proximity to the interstate. 

If you're interested in joining the heroin task force, contact the Clearfield-Jefferson Drug and Alcohol Commission at 371-9002.