Carlos Osorio

Stage Fort Park in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Once associated with urban poverty, heroin is more popular — and deadly — than ever. More than 1,200 people in Massachusetts died from overdoses of heroin or prescription opioids in 2014.

A weeklong tour of picturesque Massachusetts towns revealed glimmers of hope: families starting to speak out without shame, once-oblivious political and medical leaders innovating to save lives, a small-town police chief putting addicts in treatment rather than handcuffs. But the body count is staggering and rising.

Kimberly Krawczyk wears a t-shirt honouring her late father, mother and brother during a rally in Boston. All three died of drug overdoses. 

The Gloucester Police Department has been running an experiment that appears unprecedented anywhere in America. Its architect is a former undercover drug cop - now chief, Leonard Campanello.

Any opiate addict who wanted to get clean would be invited to show up at police headquarters. The Gloucester PD would work the phones to get them into treatment — “not in hours or days, but on the spot.” A volunteer “angel” would offer them companionship. Even if they brought drugs with them, they would not be charged.

A woman arranges bags at a vigil in Gloucester, Massachusetts, honouring people who have died from drug overdoses. The bags had messages on them written from friends and family.

Plymouth Fire Chief Edward Bradley.

Plymouth, the quaint seaside tourist town where the Pilgrims settled, calls itself “America’s hometown.” Its fire department used to get 40 to 60 overdose calls per year. There were 313 in 2014.
This year has been worse. Every fire crew has used Narcan (a nasal spray that reverses heroin overdoses) at least once.

Billy Pfaff, a formerly homeless 46-year-old, started a Facebook group called “Heroin Is Killing My Town” after his best friend overdosed last year. More than 30,000 people subscribe. With no training, the man is best known as “Billy Inkslinger” has become a sought-after counsellor — a testament both to the force of his personality and the holes in the formal system.

Billy spent this morning searching ditches beside rail tracks in Lowell Massachusetts for people who were in need of his help. 

Ryan Tripp lost his son to a heroin overdose in 2015. The tragedy turned the father into an activist.

A rally on National Overdose Awareness Day in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

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