CSI Miami Unvails new drug "Cheese"

Blog October 28, 2008

CSI

This weekend I was watching CSI: Miami, as I do most weekends. However this weekend the episode that I was watching showcased a very interesting phenomenon. In this episode there was a substitute teacher who was getting kids to sell drugs for him. A new drug called “cheese”. Cheese is a drug that contains heroin and over the counter cold medication. It is commonly used by watering down heroin and combining it with Tylenol PM. He was getting the kids to sell it by giving them new “cool” shoes. Weird! Not to mention creepy. But anyways, my point is that I have not heard much about this “cheese” drug. I work at a rehab and I have never known anyone who has used this. Now I am not saying that it is not prevalent, I am sure it is, I just have not heard of it here in southern California. So, since it is news to me I am thinking that it is news to you. Therefore, I will educate you. Cheese has mainly been linked to the Dallas, Texas area so far but just as with all drugs, news travels fast. Black tar heroin contains 30% heroin and cheese contains anywhere from 2-8%. It can be bought as a powder and it is used by sniffing it, it is not usually injected such as traditional heroin. Cheese first became known when it was found in due to arrests, and in elementary, middle and high schools in Dallas, Texas between 2005 and 2007. It is basically known as the “gateway drug” to heroin. It is also commonly used by young kids, some still in elementary school. Between April 2006 and February 2007 there were 71 teen drug users arrested (ages 10-16) in the Dallas area. Dalas rehabs and adolescent drug treatment centers started admitting younger and younger kids, where before they were 15-17 years old, they are now admitting 11-13 year olds. Cheese is also considered a cheap drug. It goes for about $2 a hit and $10 a gram. Cheese looks like a tanish-brown powder and is usually folded up in notebook paper. Drug dealers are targeting adolescents and kids by putting this drug in an easy to use powder form, making it more affordable and giving such an innocent name. They are calling it the most addictive and deadly drug since crack-cocaine.