Community Members Collaborate to Tackle "Cheese" Heroin
A dangerous combination of heroin and nighttime pain relievers, known on the streets as "cheese," has
taken a toll on Dallas youth, contributing to as many as 20 deaths in the past two years, countless
trips to hospitals, and an overwhelming demand for substance abuse treatment services.
Earlier this year, a Dallas County Cheese Heroin Task Force was created to improve communication
and provide coordinated action planning to attack this drug crisis. Concerned citizens, law
enforcement personnel, educators, health professionals, and government officials have joined forces
and are facilitating accurate data collection, parent and student education, media messages, and
community outreach.
"Cheese" is a highly addictive mixture of black tar heroin ground up with nighttime pain relievers, frequently
Tylenol PM, and sold for as little as $2 a dose. Most believe that it got the name "cheese" because of its
appearance, similar to that of ground parmesan cheese. While it has a deceptively innocent name, it can be
potentially lethal. The combination may contain only 2 to 8 percent heroin, but even that amount has been
contributing to heroin addiction among Dallas youth as young as nine. Task Force leaders are particularly
concerned that cheese/heroin is attracting young teens and pre-teens, many of whom may not realize its
potential dangers. "Since cheese/heroin is inhaled, rather than injected, some teens do not believe it carries
the same risks," says Alison Watros, Program Director of the Region 3 Prevention Resource Center. "In fact, it
is addictive, and it has the potential to lead to injected heroin use."
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