In Pennsylvania, it's estimated opioids like heroin killed at least 1,300 people last year. In Massachusetts, more than 1,000 have died, and in Connecticut, heroin deaths jumped more than 85 percent in two years.
But figuring out the size and scope of the problem is harder than many people think.
Pennsylvania, like many states, doesn't require reporting of specific details on drug overdoses, and whatever other information is available is at least two years old.
Stacy Emminger pulls out the death certificate for her son Anthony. It have all his personal information, but is missing key details. Anthony was addicted to heroin. But that's not what's listed on the certificate.
"Immediate cause of death is multiple drug toxicity, accidental," Emminger reads. "So basically an accidental overdose."
[For more of this story, written by Ben Allen, go to http://www.npr.org/2015/05/21/...idespread-heroin-use]
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