Prosecutors from across Kentucky were briefed Thursday on the state’s heroin problem through the eyes of representatives of crime lab, medical, drug recovery, and other government agencies.
The update came during a panel session at Thursday’s Kentucky Prosecutors Conference in Lexington.
Jeremy Triplett, drug chemistry supervisor at the Kentucky State Police Crime Lab, told attendees of the drugs submitted for testing, heroin totaled just under 450 in 2010. He said that number grew to over 3700 by 2016.
Methamphetamine cases in the lab this year outnumber heroin submissions by more than three to one.
Triplett says the attention given to opioids is not surprising, “I think that attracts public attention because of the deaths associated and it’s a big deal. But, methamphetamine is something we see more often,” said Triplett.
He says, like heroin, meth cases are on the rise. If the overall number of drug submissions continues at the current rate, the drug lab supervisor says an increase in staffing will be needed.