A long time circuit court prosecutor is hopeful Kentucky’s new heroin law works to help reduce drug overdoses. Fayette Commonwealth's Attorney Ray Larson is taking a wait and see approach.
Kentucky’s new heroin law sets higher trafficking penalties, particularly for those found with larger quantities of the drug. Larson worries the changes to the law could make it harder to prosecute drug offenses. "They'll know how much heroin that they can possess on their person to keep the penalties low, they know about that," said Larson.
The new heroin law sets aside $10 million to boost treatment efforts. Larson says the current law focuses too much on court ordered drug testing, rather than intensive treatment for inmates. He says jail sometimes provides the best personal safeguards for heroin addicts. "I mean I can't tell you the number of parents who have called me and said 'would you please get my son arrested and have him thrown in jail Because that's the only way that I can keep him from killing himself by overdosing?'" said Larson.
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