African-American teens in NYC stop using heroin

Researchers hope trend will spread to other cities

Heroin use among young African Americans in New York City is nearly zero

From Correspondent Peg Tyre

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health has found heroin use has all but disappeared among young African Americans in New York City, giving hope to researchers looking for ways to fight use of the drug.

"We've been very hard put to find new initiates among African Americans," said researcher Richard Curtis, who spends his days in vacant lots and drug dens, talking to heroin addicts. "It has really been very difficult. It's like finding a needle in a haystack for us."

After two years, he and nine other researchers have found that heroin use among young African Americans in New York City is nearly zero.

Heroin now a 'white drug'

Finding a new African American heroin user is "like finding a needle in a haystack."

Heroin has had a strong hold on New York's African American community for decades. In the 1970's, when African American soldiers returned from Vietnam, heroin use skyrocketed.

In the late 1980's, when the crack cocaine epidemic began to wane, heroin again began to take hold. But in the '90s, the complexion and background of the heroin user has changed.

"Really, it's a white drug at this point. Those are the only real large category of new users that we can find," Curtis said.

The shift is emphasized by movies like Pulp Fiction, which glamorizes heroin use -- and gaunt, hollow-eyed models celebrating the heroin chic aesthetic.

Education, some experts say, is the key to keeping young African Americans off the drug.

Heroin unchic

Elliot Tossas, an African American teenager, said his peers smoke cigarettes and marijuana. They come from a place where there's nothing chic about heroin.

"I've had family that was in a situation like that. They've lived in my house, all drug up. To me, it didn't look right. It didn't look right," said Elliot.

Heroin has gone from mean streets to main street

Although nationally, heroin use among black youth has remained steady, addiction specialists say what's happening in New York is important.

"When we see a group of teens not using a drug like heroin, let's find out why not and get that message out to other teens, Curtis said.

Researchers hope the scenario will be a trend, like so many others, that started on the mean streets of New York and spread to America's main street.

Related stories:

• Soros offers $1 million for needle exchange programs - April 23, 1998
• Sources: Needle-exchange funding ban to be lifted - April 16, 1998
• Heroin use on the rise - February 22, 1998
• CNN/Time Impact: Heroin: An Addict's Tale

Related sites:

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

• Partnership for a Drug Free America - Heroin
• Drug Prevention Lesson & Programming Ideas: Heroin Chic

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

---

 

---

	further reading

Sound off on our message boards & chat

© 1998 Cable News Network, Inc.
A Time Warner Company
All Rights Reserved.

Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines.