White House looks to increase drug treatment numbers

Help may be on the way to fight heroin in Colorado.

The White House is suggesting $1.1 billion go towards drug treatment. If Congress approves, $13 million would come to Colorado over two years.

“It really is a chronic lapsing, relapsing illness,” Dr. Michael Nerenberg said of opioid addiction.

Dr. Nerenberg is one of only a few doctors who prescribe buprenorphine, also known as Soboxone.

“If you are addicted to opioids and you take a Soboxone, you’ll go into withdrawal,” said Nerenberg.

The Obama administration wants Congress to back a $1.1 billion grant to help treat prescription opioid and heroin users with the drug buprenorphine. It would also increase the number of patients able to use the drug from 100 patients per doctor to 275.

“Getting up to 275 is an attempt to expand the availability because it’s really hard to find Soboxone providers,” Nerenberg said.

In Southern Colorado, more treatment is needed. Fifteen people per 100,000 died of drug poisoning in Pueblo, Las Animas and El Paso counties between 2010 and 2014.

In Pueblo, the Police Department is on pace to double heroin busts from previous years.

“In 2014-2015, we took in an average of about 700 grams of heroin. This year, in the first six months alone we’re already at that 700 grams,” Sgt. Eric Gonzales said.

As for the heroin problem on the streets of Pueblo, police say it comes down to manpower.

“What we need is more officers. Our narcotics units tend to run short,” Gonzales said.

Dr. Nerenburg said the administration’s plan will help facilitate a change, but still may not be enough.

“Something like 80 percent or more of Soboxone providers are not at their caps. So if everyone got to their cap, I’m not sure we would need to increase the number of the cap,” Nerenburg said.

The funding plan still needs congressional approval.