Etowah Co. officials say heroin use is on the rise | News

ETOWAH COUNTY, AL (WBRC)- The commander of Etowah County's Drug Enforcement Unit says heroin is on the rise again in east Alabama.

Commander Rob Savage tells FOX6 News, heroin had declined in the last 10 years in east Alabama.

He says he expected to see it on the rise again after hearing it had already made a comeback in Birmingham and Montgomery.

Savage says the heroin his agents have found is pure, processed from opium grown in Southeast Asia, and is surprisingly cheap.

He says because it's so addictive, Alabama's legislature got tough on heroin the last time it was widespread in the state.

"Alabama has some of the toughest laws in the nation. The mere possession of four grams, which is a relatively small amount, it carries a life sentence in Alabama," Savage said.

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