Increase in heroin deaths for Boulder County

Boulder police told the Daily Camera that four heroin overdose deaths were reported in the first two months of 2015 alone. It's part of a larger spike in heroin overdose deaths across the county. 

• March 4: Once again, Colorado follows national heroin overdose trends 
• May 19: How heroin made its way from rural Mexico to America

"Unfortunately, heroin has a very large presence in Boulder County," Boulder police Sgt. Jeff Kessler told the paper. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said that it's part of a larger shift away from prescription painkiller abuse. 

"What I'm hearing is there is a lot of mixed opiate use and a lot of this stems from painkiller addictions," Pelle said. "But painkillers and prescription drugs are harder to get these days. Heroin is relatively inexpensive and easier to get their hands on."