Final Word: We need to target more than Philip Seymour Hoffman’s dealer
Feb 5, 2014, 7:53 PM | Updated: 7:53 pm
Overnight, police in New York arrested four people in connection with the sale of heroin that could be linked to the death of Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Hopefully, these four were arrested because police found evidence of a big drug ring, not just because these four happened to sell heroin to a famous guy who wound up using too much. Would we pay so much attention to the take-down of a drug seller if he or she sold to a 24-year-old clerk at a supermarket?
I don’t think so.
Hoffman was an admitted addict. Just two weeks ago, in an interview with a magazine reporter at Sundance, he admitted to having just gotten out of rehab.
He was a 46-year-old, brilliant, educated father of three. I have incredible sympathy for the plight of the addict and even more for the family who loves them — his partner and three kids will that will miss him every day for the rest of their lives.
But sadly, it happens all the time. Heroin deaths in this country are on the rise. Which means so are sales.
But I doubt that most heroin deaths are followed up on with such speed and efficiency as this one. Should they be?
Sure. Especially if the victims are young.
And they seem to get younger and younger all the time.
Our interview Tuesday with Debbie Moak, founder of notmykid.org, backs up that belief. She said most kids try heroin for the first time in high school, which means someone offered it to them.
How would you feel if you saw someone offer YOUR kid their first taste of heroin for their lunch money?
I’d love to see law enforcement go after those pushers like they went after the four in NYC who sold to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, who had $1,200 in cash in hand.
