Heroin arrests drop in Hastings, Dakota Co.

A spurt early last year in heroin-related hepatitis C cases among Hastings youths appears to have tapered off by year's end, state health officials say.

And countywide, heroin arrests dropped last year after peaking during 2009, according to the Dakota County Drug Task Force.

Heroin use had been growing in the county and statewide over the past five years, and last summer the state Department of Health issued advisories to local health providers after it received reports in June that Hastings young people accounted for nine of 16 cases of hepatitis C identified in Dakota County.

A number of those infected, ages 16 to 27, admitted to sharing heroin needles, said Doug Schultz, a Health Department spokesman. If untreated, the virus can lead to liver disease and other complications.

At the Star Tribune's request, the department provided a year-end update that showed that in the last six months, only two more hepatitis C cases were reported for the 30-and-under age group in Dakota County, and neither case was in Hastings, Schultz said.

Still, the total of 18 hepatitis C cases in 2010 was a jump from eight in 2009, noted Kristin Sweet, a department epidemiologist.

"Going from eight to 18 is dramatic enough for us to notice and look into it," Sweet said. She said not all heroin users are tested for hepatitis C, so the number of users is likely higher.

Dakota County tracks heroin arrests and saw a drop last year from a record high of 42 cases (14 in Hastings) in 2009, said Sgt. Joe Leko, commander of the county Drug Task Force. In 2010, the county recorded 29 arrests involving heroin, including three in Hastings, he said.

However, Leko said last year's 29 arrests still amount to more than 2007 and 2008 combined, when there were 24 heroin arrests in the county and none in Hastings. He noted the drop in 2010 was due partly to the arrest early last year of two mid-level heroin dealers who had supplied Hastings and other areas.

Leko said the typical heroin user is an 18-to-25-year-old man who injects the addictive drug with a syringe. However, most of the county's drug arrests involve marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine, Leko said.

Teresa Eakman, a Hastings drug counselor, said she is seeing the same number of heroin addicts at the Dakota County Receiving Center, one of the largest drug-treatment facilities in town. She said two of the center's five clients are recovering from heroin use. The center, which has residential programs, also treats alcohol, meth or prescription drug addictions, she said.

The drop in hepatitis C cases in recent months is good news, said Hastings Police Chief Paul Schnell.