In the summer of 1964 I was not a flower child. I was a Junkie working the streets of Chinatown San Francisco to feed the Dragon of my heroin addiction. It cost a hundred dollars a day which was a lot of money in 1964. It was a endless circle. I had to sell my ass to get heroin and I had to shoot more heroin to turn tricks. To say that I never really liked heroin would be a lie. I loved the rush. When I pat the veins in my arm a certain way to this day the veins still raise up in anticipation. On the other hand it was a ugly miserable way to live. Death was always there. A trick could kill me. somebody might give me a hot shot. I was never really afraid of oding. I just could never get enough heroin in my arm. Then my old man got busted and I knew I couldn't make it without him. So I stumbled into Synanon. Synanon was the first successful drug program ever. I never stuck another needle in my arm.
The use of heroin diminished in time. It was too expensive. Too many people died so people stopped doing it. Until recently. Right now we have a heroin epidemic. It is cheap and you can get it anywhere. Why is that I wonder?
Heroin has once again entered into my life. My grand nephew is out there ripping and running, shooting up some good cheap smack. My family has turned to me for help.The truth is there is not much help out there anymore. Most programs are only 30 to 60 days. A junkie can not be helped in these programs. Then there is intervention which is just stupid. A heroin addict is a good liar. They will say whatever you want to hear and continue to stick a needle in their arm. You need a 2 year program staffed by ex-addicts to turn your life around. My nephew claims he needs six months to turn his life around and if he is still using after six months he will go into treatment. His mother asked me if she should believe him? Hell no. Six months without her interference and he will have a good little habit going if he is not dead.
So what do you do? First of all you realize that junkies lie all the time. He is lying to you.
There are still a few good programs out there. Call Delancy Street in San Francisco.They are the best and they may be able to refer you to a program in your area. Bear in mind that most junkies have to hit bottom before they can change. Bottom is different for different people. My nephew still has a new jeep which they are trying to repo. He still has two thousand a month in unemployment. He won't hit bottom until that is gone. If he doesn't hit bottom then he will be ripping and running. Stealing or putting his wife out on the streets.
Yes heroin is back stronger than ever. It is a powerful and deadly addiction. It killed most of the people I shot dope. I have lived to see 75. I didn't do that by being stupid.