By Holly Demaree
On Aug. 28, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office held a drug forum at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds to address the rising incidents of drug use and arrests of local residents. The goal of the forum, according to law enforcement, was to educate, not lecture.
Jeanine Motsay, a resident of Hamilton County, began the forum by speaking about her son, Sam Motsay, who died on May 11 due to the use of the drug NBome. S.A. Louis Arona of the Drug Enforcement Agency said NBome is about the size of a quarter and is put on a piece of paper with intriguing designs on them.
“I’ve been told NBome is like LSD except it is 60 times stronger; the effects are instant and can last up to 12 hours,” Arona said.
Currently there is no antidote to NBome and is most commonly seen being used by people between the ages of 15 and 29.
Major A. Dietz of the Hamilton-Boone County Drug Task Force focused on how these issues are directly affecting Hamilton County. The addicts that the task force comes into to contact with the most are addicted to heroin.
“One-tenth of a sweet and low is all one needs to get high off of heroin,” he said.
It would cost about $20 for that amount of heroin and some pay that three to four times a day. Dietz explains that this then causes some to steal to help pay for this habit.
“One person admitted to committing 30 crimes. That is 30 victims for opiate drugs,” said Dietz.
State Sen. Jim Merritt (R-Indianapolis) spoke about how drugs are affecting the Hamilton County community and the importance of the Lifeline Law, which he was instrumental in getting signed into law.
“I am not willing to say goodbye to a generation,” said Merritt. “I understand kids make mistakes but it should not end their life. So, let’s use our fear for something positive and talk to our kids.”
