Addicts come in all stripes

Reading the letter, “Need to bust heroin dealers,” I had to chuckle a little bit. The sale of heroin has been escalating in our area since the ’90s when the Mexican mafia chose our ‘lil neck of the woods to sell their wares. Back then, few people had cell phones and dealers used pagers. I am a recovering heroin addict, been clean for 12 years. We had to make our calls using pay phones and Jack in the Box’s pay phone was one of the most popular. Today, a pay phone is hard to find and even the homeless and jobless have cell phones.

He said, “I urge the Everett Police Department to please do something about this.” As if they weren’t aware of this problem. The sale and use of heroin in Snohomish County is a pandemic. For every police officer, there are 1,000 heroin users and dealers. The police have been “doing something” as well as can be expected. Unfortunately, today’s heroin user is hiding in plain sight. That poster that used to hang in my doctor’s office sticks out in my mind showing how to “Spot a Junkie.” The man (like women aren’t junkies too) is skinny, wearing dark glasses and a leather jacket. The “junkie” was shown having giant track marks on his arms, dark circles under his red and watering eyes. In reality today’s heroin user may be delivering your mail, or defending you in court. Today’s “junkie” is a housewife living on Mercer Island or your kid’s teacher or school bus driver.

Help our police out. Call them when you see suspicious behavior. If you are a heroin user, please … go to the local methadone clinic and save your life. I know it saved mine.

Susan Martin

Everett

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 10: A Seattle Sonics fan holds a sign before the Rain City Showcase in a preseason NBA game between the LA Clippers and the Utah Jazz at Climate Pledge Arena on October 10, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Editorial: Seahawks’ win whets appetite for Sonics’ return

A Super Bowl win leaves sports fans hungering for more, especially the return of a storied NBA franchise.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Thursday, Feb. 12

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Comment: Maybe we should show the EPA our insurance bills

While it has renounced the ‘endagerment finding’ that directs climate action, insurance costs are only growing.

City allowing Everett business to continue polluting

Is it incompetency, corporatocracy or is the City of Everett just apathetic… Continue reading

Good reason for members of military to refuse illegal orders

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., texted me saying President Trump “called for me… Continue reading

Support U.S. assistance of Ukraine in fight against Russia

As we enter the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine,… Continue reading

Comment: Listen carefully to the things that Trump can’t unsay

What Trump said about ‘nationalizing elections’ shows the unconstitutional lengths he’ll go to.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Wednesday, Feb. 11

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

toon
Editorial cartoons for Tuesday, Feb. 10

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Burke: Whistle while we work to preserve democracy

Prepare for the work of patriots with a whistle and a new ‘Manual for Keeping Democracy.’

Comment: Congress must place more controls on Insurrection Act

Calling on troops for law enforcement needs better guardrails than are now in place.

Comment: Severe winter storms aren’t refuting climate crisis

Global warming makes weather patterns more chaotic, leading to damaging winter storms as well as heat.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.