Chronicle: War on Opioids is personal

ANNOUNCER: OMAHA'S NEWS LEADER, CHRONICLING THE STORIES AND PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS KE "CHRONICLE." ROB: TODAY ON "CHRONICLE," IT'S AN ADDICTION THAT CAN CREEP IN. >> EVEN NOW I THINK ABOUT IF WE DIFFERENTLY, IF WE COULD HAD MOR WHAT THIS WAS. ROB: CONTROL. >> I WISH PEOPLE COULD SEE HOW MUCH MY SISTER HAD BEEN PRESCRIBED IN THE LAST FIVE MONTHS OF HER LIFE. ROB: TODAY, WE EXAMINE THE PATHWAY FROM PILLS. >> THE RISK FOR ADDICTION INCREASES EXPONENTIALLY AFTER THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE DAY TO -- CONSECUTIVE DAY. ROB: TO FENTANYL. >> IT JUST POPPED UP HERE LIKE A LIGHTSWITCH OVERNIGHT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WAS HERE. ROB: AND, THE FIGHT TO KEEP THE DEADLY DRUGS OFF OUR STREETS AND OUT OF OUR HOMES. >> I GUESS IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. ROB: THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING FOR "CHRONICLE: STATE OF ADDICTION." I'M ROB MCCARTNEY. THIS HALF-HOUR, WE'LL DISCUSS THE WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF OPIOID ABUSE, AND HOW WE'LL ALSO MEET THE DETECTIVE WHO HELPED PUT OMAHA'S FENTANYLS DESIGNER DRUG OFF OUR STREETS.Y SENATOR SARA HOWARD. I MET WITH HER IN THE STATECAPIT MOTHER IN THE LEGISLATURE, TO TALK ABOUT HOW HER FAMILY TRAGEDY SPARKED HER FIGHT TO CHANGE STATE LAW. >> FIRST, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW, MY SISTER, AND I ARE A UNIT. MY DAD WAS KIL ACCIDENT BEFORE I WAS BORN. SO WE ARE INCREDIBLY I WAS PRACTICALLY RAISED BY MY SISTER BECAUSE MY MOM WAS A SINGLE P SHE WAS SIX YEARS OLDER THAN I WAS. WHEN I WAS GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE, SHE HAD GOTTEN IN ACCIDENTS. SHE WAS A TERRIBLE DRIVER, SINGING ALONG TO THE RADIO ALL THE TIME. SHE STARTED HAVING BAC AND, THE DOCTORS RECOMMENDED SHE HAVE A SPINAL FUSION, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT. I CAME HOME FROM COLLEGE GRADUATED AND CAME HOME AND TOOK CARE OF HER AF WHEN SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL, THEY HAD GIVEN HER MORPHINE. THEY CENTER HOME -- SENT HER HOME WITH AN ENORMOUS BOTTLE OF OXYCONTIN. IT WAS THE EARLY 2000'S. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. SHE STARTED TAKING IT AND IT WAS LIKE NIGHT A SHE COULDN'T FEEL ANY PAIN. SHE WOULD TRY TO GO UP AND DOW STAIRS. SHE STARTED CALLING DIFFERENT DOCTORS SAYING SHE WAS NOT GETTING HER MEDICATION OR SHE DIDN'T HAVE HER MEDICATION. IT JUST SORT OF SPIRALED OUT FROM THERE. AFTER THE SURGERY AND AFTER THAT FIRST INTRODUCTION TO OXYCONTIN, SHE WOULD GET BETTER, SHE WOULD COME OFF OF THE MEDICATION, AND THEN IT WOULD GET OFF AGAIN -- GET WOD GOTTEN BETTER. SHE WAS ACTUALLY ENGAGED, HE -- WE WERE PLANNING HER WEDDING. SHE HAD GOTTEN TO A DENTIST TO HAVE A ROOT CANAL. THE DENTIST PRESCRIBED HER OXYCONTIN. AND, IT WAS WITHIN 4.5 MONTHS, SHE WAS GONE. IN THAT TIME, SHE WENT TO MULTIPLE DOCTORS AND WAS GIVEN ALMOST 1000 BILLS FOR THE LAST -- PILLS FOR THE LAST FI MONTHS OF HER LIFE. MULTIPLE DOCTORS AND MULTIPLE PHARMACIES. IT IS OVERWHELMING WHEN YOUOUT H GIVEN AND HOW LITTLE THESEERS WE OTHER WHEN THEY WERE GIVING OUT MULTIPLE PRESCRIPTIONS. JUST, OVERWHELMING. ROB: YOU SAID IT WAS 4.5 MONTHS UNTIL SHE WAS GONE. HOW DID IT HAPPEN? >> SHE EVENTUALLY OVER SHE HAD TAKEN TOO MANY AND WENTI YOUR LUNGS JUST ARE SO RELAXED THAT YOU DON'T BREATHE ANYMORE, THEY DON'T WORK ANYMORE. I WAS LIVING IN CHICAGO AFTER MY MOM GOT ELECTED. I IMMEDIATELY LEFT TOWN AND WENT TO LAW SCHOOL IN CHICAGO. I HAD JUST STARTED MY FIRST JOBG I HAD BEEN THERE FOR A MONTH. IT WAS MY DREAM JOB DOING HEALTH POLICY FOR KIDS. MY MOM CALLED ME ON THE PHONE, AND SHE SAID, I HAVE TO TELL YOU BECAUSE I COULDN'T EVEN PUT MY ARMS AROUND THE IDEA THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE DIED FROM THIS. THAT WAS -- YEAH, IT IS STILL INCREDIBLE TO THINK ABOUT. 10 YEARS. IT STILL FEELS LIKE YESTERDAY SOMETIMES. ROB: WHEN YOUR MOM WAS HERE, SHE STARTED BASICALLY, THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THIS.UGH WHAT ROB: IN 2011, MY MOM CREATED A STATUTE, POSSIBLY ONE OF THE FIRST AMERICA COUNTRY, WHICH WAS REALLY -- ON THE COUNTRY, WHICH WAS REALLY A DATA WAREHOUSE FOR ALL THE PRESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE GOING OUT SO, IT IS ONLY FOR DOCTORS AND PHARMACISTS TO LOOK AT. THE IDEA WAS -- KERRY WAS SO SMART. SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN 10IMES BETTER. SHE WAS INCREDIBLY SMART. SHE WAS ABLE TO CONNECT A CERTAIN DR. TO A CERTAIN PHARMACY. THEN, THEY WERE NEVER TALKING TO EACH OTHER, RIGHT? SHE WASN'T GOING TO THE SAME PHARMACY WHERE SHE WOULD NOTICE SHE WAS PICKING UP THE SAME PRESCRIPTION FOR THE SAME DOCTOR WHERE SHE WAS ASKING FOR THE PRESCRIPTION. -- OR TH WAS ASKING FOR THE PRESCRIPTION. WHAT ANOTHER PHYSICIAN HAS PRESCRIBED OR DISPENSED. IT REALLY CLOSES THAT COMMUNICATION LOOP FOR PROVIDERS, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING. NEBRASKA HAD BECOME SOMEWHAT OF A HOTBED FOR PEOPLE FOR SORT OF TOURISM AROUND PICKING UP PRESCRIPTIONS BECAUSE HER WELOT LEGISLATION. WHAT IS REALLY EXCITING THIS YEAR, IS THAT WE ARE ONE OF THE LEFT STATES TO ALLOW OUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM TO SPEAK TO OTHER STATES' PROGRAMS, WHICH MEANS IF YOU'RE COMING FROM IOWA OR SOUTH DAKOTA, WHAT YOU HAVE PIRE NOT CROSSING THE STATEMENT TO PICK NARCOTIC PAIN OF OPIOIDS? >> WE NEVER WANT A PERSON TO NOT GET THEIR MEDICATIONS. WHAT WE WANT IS IF SOMEONE HAS A SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, THE PROVIDER CAN SEE THAT AND CAN POINT THEM IN THE DIRECTION OFSO NOT BE GIVING THEM MORE MEDICACTION THAT IS UNHEALTHY FOR THEM. OFTEN, THERE'S A LOT OF SHAME WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY THAT YOU LOVE WHO IS ADDICTED TO ANYTHING I NEVER SAY SHE WAS AN ADDICT, BECAUSE WE DON'T SAY THAT YOU ARE CANCER WHEN YOU HAVE CANCER. SHE HAS AN ADDICTION HAD -- SHE HAD AN ADDICTION. BOTH MY MOM AND I HAD BEEN WILLING TO TELL THE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY SISTER AND SHARE IT WITH MY COLLEAGUES. YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT THE DIRECTION, THE POLICY DIRECTION I FELT WAS AN FOR THE STATE. ROB: SENATOR HOWARD'S BILL IS EXPECTED TO PASS. THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION TO IT WHEN IT WAS IN COMMITTEE. AS FOR HER SISTER, SENATOR HE COULD'VE DONE MORE HAD SHE BETTER UNDERSTOOD THE SIGNS. UT THAT IS ADDICTION SPECIALIST DR. IMAD ALSAKA THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY. ROB: WHAT ARE THE WARNING SIGNS OF OPIOID ADDICTION? >> WHEN YOU HAVE SIGNS OF OR ADDICTION DISORDER ITSELF, FOR INTOXICATION FOR EXAMPLE, PEOPLE INITIALLY EXPERIENCE SOME SORT OF HIGH OR EUPHORIA AND THEN HAVE SOME SEDATION. YOU NOTICE PUPILS OR CONSTRICTED PUPILS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE MULTIPLE. YOU HAVE A RUNNY NOSE, DIARRHEA, NAUSEA, VOMITING, INSOMNIA. ALSO YOU HAVE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION IN GENERAL, PEOPLE US IN MULTIPLE ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFE. ACADEMICALLY, PROFESSIONALLY, THEIR SOCIAL LIFE, THEIR YOU HAVE OTHER SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT ALSO APPLY TO MULTIPLE ADDICTIVE DISORDERS. PEOPLE FOR EXAMPLE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO OBTAIN THE DRUG OR THE SUBSTANCE, TRYING TO USE IT OR RECOVER FROM IT. PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE OTHER SYMPTOMS, TOLERANCE. PEOPLE MIGHT EXPERIENCE LEGAL PROBLEMS. THEY MIGHT PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS BECAUSE OF DOING DANGEROUS THINGS, AND THE EFFECT OF DRUGS, AND SO ON. ROB: HIS OR A SPECIFIC PATHWAY FROM PILLS TO FENTANYL TO HEAR ON? WHAT IS THE PATHWAY? -- TO HEROIN? >> FROM THE 1960'S TO THE 1980'S, PEOPLE USUALLY STARTED WITH HEROIN WHEN IT CAME TO OPIOID ADDICTION AND THEN THEY MOVED TO PRESCRIBED MEDICATION. FROM THE 1980'S UNTIL NOW, THAT WAS WAS -- WAS WHAT WAS PRESCRIBED. PEOPLE OBTAIN THEM -- OBTAINED THEM FROM RELATI STREETS. THEN THEY MOVED TO THINGS LIKE HEROIN OR FENTANYL. ROB: NOT EVERYBODY IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO THAT, RIGHT? >> THAT IS CORRECT. ROB: WHEN PEOPLE GO FOR TREATMENT, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TAKE RIGHT AWAY. WHY IS THAT? QUESTION. BY DEFINITION, ADDICTION IS A CHRONIC AND RELAPSING ILLNESSONS LIKE HYPERTENSION OR HIGH BLOOD PR HYPERTENSION THAT YOU COULD TRY TO TREAT RIGHT AWAY. LIFESTYLE CHANGES, INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, HEALTHY DIETS, AND BY MEDICATIONS AND OTHER METHODS, ADDICTION IS NOT DIFFERENT THAN THAT. ONCE YOU GET IT IN REALITY, YOU NEVER RECOVER FROM IT. THEVER ZERO. ALSO THINK ABOUT IT AS A LEARNING DISORDER, ONCE YOUARN S INTENTIONALLY FORGET IT. I CAN TELL YOU NOW, REMEMBER 1, 2, 3, AND I WILL GIVE YOU $1 MILLION IF YOU CAN INTENTIONALLY FORGET THAT, YOU CAN. -- YOU CAN'T. THESE CIRCUITS, THESE ADDICTION CIRCUITS, NEVER GO AWAY. ROB: WHAT WOULD YOUR ADVICE BE TO SOMEBODY WHO IS SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION OR PEOPLE WHO ARE AROUND OTHERS? >> I WOULD LIKE TO TELL THEM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH ADDICTION STRUGGLE WITH SIGNIFICANT LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND THEY FIND IT HARD TO ASK FOR HELP. IT IS MUCH EASIER FOR ME FOR HELP IF I HAVE HYPERTENSIOND ORACLE. -- OR ALCOHOL. I WOULD LIKE TO TELL HIM ADDICT AND THAT IS NOT DIFFERENT THAN A MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION AS A HEART DISEASE. WE ARE HUMAN AND WHERE ERABLE. EVERYONE IS VULNERABLE. -- AND WE ERABLE. SO PLEASE DON'T LOOK DOWN ON YOURSELF, ASK FOR HELP. IT REQUIRES A LOT OF COURAGE TO ASK FOR HELP, BUT LUCKILY WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES. ROB: GREAT ADVICE. APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. COMING UP NEXT, INVESTIGATORS SAY HE'S THE MAD SCIENTIST WHOA DEADLY DRUG, THEN TRIED TO BUILD AN EMPIRE FROM HIS MID >> I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER OMAHA, NEBRASKA, AND THIS ONE WAS. ROB: NEXT, HOW IT CHANGED THE WAY OMAHA POLICE OPERATE, AND THE DETECTIVE WHO HELPED CRACK THE CASE JOINS US IN-STUDIO. YOU'RE WATCHING KETV NEWSWATCH 7'S "CHRONICLE." ROB: POLICE CALL HIM A MAD SCIENTIST INTENT ON BUILDING A DRUG EMPIRE. A MAN WHO INVENTED AN ILLEGAL DRUG, AND WITH HIS WIFE'S HELP, IDTOWN OMAHA HOME AND SELL IT. CHRONICLE'S ALEXANDRA STONE WALKS US THROUGH THE EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION THAT CHANGED HOW ALEXANDRA: IT'S CALLED CARFENTANYL, AN OPIOID 10,000 TIMES MORE POWERFUL THAN MORPHINE, FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN FENTANYL. >> IF YOU HAD A COUPLE OF GRAINS OF CARFENTANYL ON YOUR SKIN, IT WOULD ABKILL YOU INSTANTLY. ALEXANDRA: AND ALL OF IT, MADE IN OMAHA. >> I DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER DRUGS THAT HAVE BEEN INVENTED IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA, AND THIS ONE WAS. ALEXANDRA: OMAHA POLICE DETECTIVESENTITIES HIDDEN FOR THEIR PROTECTION, LAY OUT THE EVIDENCE -- POUNDS OF THE POTENT DRUG CUSTOM DESIGNED IN PASTEL COLORS. A CALLING CARDMIND WHO MADE IT. >> IT WAS 100% A MARKETING TACTIC. ALEXANDRA: INVESTIGATORS SAY THIS MAN, KEN HECHTMAN, AND HIS WIFE, WENDY, INVENTED AND COOKED THE DRUG AND DEVELOPED A MARKETING SYSTEM WITH APLANS TO DISTRIBUTE THE DEADLY COMPOUND THROUGHOUT THE MIDWEST. >> IT JUST POPPED UP HERE LIKE A LIGHTSWITCH OVERNIGHT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT WAS HERE. ALEXANDRA: THE SCHEME SURFACED IN THE SUMMER OF 2017. OPIO IN SOME CASES, DEADLY. >> EVERY NIGHT, YOU WOULD SEE LIKE, A REPORT OF TWO OR THREE OVERDOSES. ALEXANDRA: A DRUG THIS POWERFUL? IT WAS SOMETHING NEW, AND SOMETHAND. >> IT CREATED A WHOLE NEW MARKET THAT WE HADN'T SEEN AT ALL. ALEXANDRA: DETECTIVES THOUGHT THE DRUG WAS COMING FROM DENVER, OR MAYBE KANSAS CITY OR CHICAGO. CERTAINLY, NOT FROM THIS UNASSUMING BRICK RENTAL NEAR 27TH AND LEAVENWORTH JUST E HEAD INSIDE, INVESTIGATORS FOUND ATOR CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A DRUG THAT CAN KILL WITH A TOUCH, AND MUCH, MUCH MORE. >> HE HAD HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS OF BOOKS. >> HE WAS BIG ON STONE CARVING, HISTORY ITSELF, WORLD HISTORY, MATHEMATICS, POLITICS. ALEXANDRA: PLUS, POUNDS OF THAT PASTEL CARFENTANYL. >> ALL TIES COME BACK TO THE HECHTMANS. ALEXANDRA: KEN AND WENDY HECHTMAN. AN INTERNET SEARCH UNCOVERS KEN'S HARD-TO-BELIEVE STORY -- A CORDIAL, QUIRKY, AND HIGHLY INTELLIGENT CANADIAN-BORN JOURNALIST WHO WAS KICKED OUT OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. >> STOLEN CHEMICALS, KEEPING IT IN HIS DORM ROOM, HE WAS HELD BY THE TALIBAN, THIS SAYS, AT SOME POINT. ALEXANDRA: WHAT SOUNDS LIKE FICTION IS MOSTLY FACT. POLICE AND EVEN HECHTMAN'S ATTORNEY, STU DORNAN, WERE ABLET INFORMATION ON HIS WIKIPEDIA PAGE. >> I WOULD PUT HIM PROBABLY UP THERE, TOP 5%, 10% WITH TO INTELLECTUAL ABILITY, AND HE HAD A VERY EXCITING LIFE. ALEXANDRA: THE DRUGS SEIZED FROM HECHTMAN'S MIDTOWN RENTAL COULD HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS. YET, POLICE SAY THE COUPLE LIKELY DIDN'T MAKE THAT MUCH, AND MAYBE THAT DIDN'T MATTER. >> MONEY IS GREAT, BUT I DONT -- I DON'T THINK IT WAS A BIG THING FOR HIM. IT WAS MORE THE RECOGNITION, LIKE GOOD OR BAD, LOOK WHAT I' >> THE ENTIRE DRUG GAME'S A HUSTLE. THE HECHTMAN'S WEREN'T HUSTLERS. ALEXANDRA: INSTEAD OF FULFILLING THEIR PLAN TO RUN A NATIONWIDE DRUG RING, POLICE ENDED THEIR KINGPIN DREAMS AND STOPPED A SCOURGE ON THE STREETS OF OMAHA. WERE OVERDOSING, FAMILIES WERE BEING DESTROYED ON A DAILY BASIS, THEN IT STOPPED. >> I GUESS IF YOU SAVE ONE LIFE, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. ROB: THAT WAS ALEXANDRA STONE THE HECHTMANS ARE NOW SERVING A 15-YEAR FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCE. THE DETECTIVE AT THE CENTER OF THE INVESTIGATION WAS CHRIS PERNA. CHRIS, THANKS FOR BEING HERE. HOW DID YOU BREAK THE CASE? >> TO START, FENTANYL WAS STARTING TO BECOME HAD A FEW OVERDOSES IN THE SUMMER OF 2017. I HAD AN INFORMANT THAT CAME TO ME AIS GUY, YOU CAN LOOK THEM UP IN WIKIPEDIA, T IS THIS SUPER SMART GUYS, -- HE IS THIS SUPERSMART GUY BUT HE IS THAT IS A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN FENTANYL. I WAS LIKE WELL, THEY HOOKED US UP. BROKE THE CASE. THAT IS HOW WE GOT ON TO THEM. ROB: WHAT DID IT TAKE? UNDERCOVER? >> OUR INFORMANT, WE SEND THEM IN THERE, EVERYTHING IS VIDEOTAPED. THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN TO US MADE THE CASE. WE DID IT OVER A FEW MONTHS AGAINST THEM. ROB: DID THEY ARGUE? >> WE BUSTED THEM ONCE, IT WASN'T AS GOOD OF A CASE. WE HAD TO KIND OF GO START ALL OVER AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME, WE DID GET A GOOD CASE. THEY DIDN'T ARGUE, AND THAT WAS IT. ROB: YOU WERE RECENTLY NAMED OMAHA CRIME STOPPERS OFFICER OF THE YEAR BECAUSE OF THIS CASE. CONGRATULATIONS. AT THE CEREMONY, I REMEMBER YOU SAYING THIS BASICALLY CHANGED YOUR OUTLOOK ON ATTI AND ADDICTION -- ADDICTS AND ADDICTION. >> YOU KIND OF GO THROUGH STAGES IN YOUR CAREER. THERE IS ALWAYS THAT LITTLE DISGRUNTLED PART, AND WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN ON AS LONG AS I HAVE, I WORKED IN NARCOTICS FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. YOU START TO LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE ADDICTS, NOT THAT THEY ARE BAD PEOPLE AND COMMITTING CRIMES, BUT THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. ESPECIALLY WITH THE OPIOIDS. THE INTERVIEWS I DID WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED, IT BROKE MY HEART. THE FEELING OF HOPELESSNESS FOR THEM. IT KIND OF CHANGED THE WAY I LOOK AT THEM A LOT OF THEM, THEY WERE AS YOUNG AS MY CHILDREN. THINGS CHANGE. YOU REALIZE PEOPLE HAVE A PROBLEM AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HELP THEM INSTEAD OF PUTTING THEM IN JAIL AND THROWING AWAY THE KEY. ROB: DID IT CHANGE THE WAY YOU APPROACH THEM? >> ABSOLUTELY. WHEN YOU INTERVIEW THEM, MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO, I WOULD NOT HAVE UNDERSTANDING. -- OR AS UNDERSTANDING.CK YEAH I KNOW WHAT LED THEM TO START DRUGS, OR HEROIN, OR PHENYL. -- OR FENTANYL. IT IS MORE OF A DISCUSSION IS HOW WE CAN -- OF HOW WE CAN HELP THESE PEOPLE INSTEAD OF ARRESTING THEM. ROB: THERE'S AN ENHANCED CRIMESTOPPERS REWARD NOW FOR INFORMATION ON OPIOID DEALERS,EW NOVEMBER. IT IS $5,000 FOR INFORMATION. ARE THERE A LOT OF OPIOID DEALERS OTHER? -- DEALERS OUT THERE? >> THE RESULT OUT THERE IS A LOT OF HEROIN ON STREETS, AND PEOPLE THAT WERE ADDICTED TO A BE APPD THAT THEY TURNED TO HEROIN. FENTANYL HAS ALSO BEEN A BIG PROBLEM ON OUR STREETS. THERE WAS A RISE IN ANY TYPE OF OPIOID USE T YEARS AGO.E. ROB: WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE ARE THE STEELERS? -- ARE THESE DEALERS? >> COULD BE MY FATHER'S AGE, NOW, THEY'RE PROBABLY THE AGE OF 18, 25. THAT IS WHO IS USING IT AND DEALING IT. MOST OF THE DEALERS ALSO USE IT. ROB: WE HAVE SEEN THE DANGERS -- THE DANGERS, TOO, FOR OFFICERS RESPONDING. YOU GET EXPOSED TO HIGHLY TOXIC FENTANYL. HOW DO YOU PROTECT YOUR SELF?DO >> HAVE TRAINED ENOUGH -- WE HAVE TRAINED ENOUGH THAT I GUESS IT IS SECOND NAT YOU HAVE TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT T GLOVES ON AND MAKE SURE YOU USE FACEBOOK SECTION TO USE WE ARE NOT -- A FACE MASK TO MAKE SURE WE ARE NOT INHALING IT. IF A ARE AN OPEN YOUR USER, WE PREPARE OURSELVES. -- IF THEY ARE AN OPIOID USER, WE PREPARE OURSELVES. ROB: IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A WAY TO HELP IN THE FIGHT AIOID ADDIC BE IN YOUR MEDICINE CABINET. UNUSED PRESCRIPTIONS CAN FALL INTO THE WRONG HANDS, LEADING TO EXPERIMENTAL USE, OR EVEN ACCIDENTAL POISIONING. DISCARDING M CAN ALSO POSE A HAZARD TO THE ENVIRONMENT BY CONTAMINATING OUR WATER. BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES, EVERY DAY IS TAKE-BACK DAY IN NEBRASKA. THE NEBRASKA MEDS COALITION HAS DISPOSAL LOCATIONS ALL ACROSS THE STATE. PLUS, THIS COMING SATURDAY, APRIL 27, IT'S NATIONAL TAKE-BACK DAY. FROM 10:00 A.M. TO 2:00 P.M., DOZENS OF SITES ACROSS THE METRO WILL BE ACCEPTING YOUR EXPIRED OR UD PRESCRIPTION DRUGS NO QUESTIONS ASKED. TO LECTION SITE NEAR YOU, FOR EITHER PROGRAM, TAP OPEN THE KETV MOBILE APP AND LOOK ADDICTION" TAB. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS STRUGGLING WITH ADDICTION OF ANY KIND, THE NATIONAL DRUG HELPLINE IS STAFFED 24/7. THE NUMBER IS ON YOUR SCREEN, AND ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE -- 1-888-633-3239. REMEMBER, IF YOU MISSED ANY PART OF THIS SHOW OR WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN, IT'S ONLINE RIGHT NOW ON KETV.COM. JUST GO TO OUR HOME PAGE AND CLICK ON THE MENU BUTTON, THEN LOOK FOR CHRONICLE. I'M ROB MCCARTNEY. THANKS FOR WATCHING. WE'LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT SUNDAY MORNING FOR KETV NEWSWATCH 7'S "CHRONICLE." [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONIN WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG