Haunting drug overdose photo shows opioid epidemic in Mississippi

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - A heartbreaking image is making the rounds on social media and bringing the opioid epidemic in Jackson to light.

The opioid epidemic continues to take victims and impact lives in the metro area and a recent string of overdoses involving a deadly batch of heroin may have killed as many as six people.

One picture taken in Jackson over the weekend and then posted to Facebook may sum up the problem in one snapshot.

A picture of a woman slumped over her steering wheel was taken Saturday at a gas station on Northside Drive and I-55.

It was posted to the Facebook page Save JXN.

The poster said they weren’t sure if the woman overdosed, but police were called and the woman woke up and was taken into custody.

Addiction Specialist John Owen said it’s not surprising and that Fentanyl in its many forms -- as well as being laced with heroin -- is readily available on the streets of Jackson.

He says drug dealers are using Fentanyl more often because it’s cheaper and delivers a stronger high.

For drug users, the combination can be deadly.

“People buying an amount of not just heroin, but it can be even marijuana or anything they think is innocuous and not dangerous and it can be laced with Fentanyl or carfentanyl," said Owen. "And one micro grain is a deadly amount.”

A micro-grain is a very tiny amount. It’s equivalent to one just grain of salt.

A lot of times drug dealers have no idea what they're doing when mixing these drugs, and can put too much in.

Experts say for dealers, overdoses -- even deaths -- are not bad for business.

They use it as a calling card for drug addicts, who will them seek them out in search of the strongest drugs.

WLBT have more on this drug problem and why experts say stopping it is key. Tonight at 6.

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