We were aware of a number of heroin overdoses and heroin-related arrests in our region. We wanted to find out why, what was being done and what could be done. We learned that the number of people seeking treatment and the number of overdose deaths had risen precipitously in Minnesota, along with the number of criminal cases. Experts consider methadone an effective treatment, but it’s problematic in our region because the lone methadone clinic has been cited for numerous violations and is operating under a revoked license, and two county workers were killed by a driver operating under the influence of methadone. We explored other alternatives, including some already being used with some success, such as the Duluth Drug Court.
