Interview: U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance on Alabama’s Heroin Problem

| June 9, 2014 

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2014/06/heroin.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:500;s:6:"height";i:334;s:4:"file";s:18:"2014/06/heroin.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"heroin-336x224.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:224;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"heroin-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:16:"heroin-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"heroin-466x311.jpg";s:5:"width";i:466;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"heroin-397x265.jpg";s:5:"width";i:397;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:18:"heroin-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:212955;s:14:"optimized_size";i:72272;s:7:"percent";d:66.060000000000002;}s:5:"sizes";a:8:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:46:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/heroin.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:209289;s:14:"optimized_size";i:68726;s:7:"percent";d:67.159999999999997;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:52:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/06/heroin-80x80.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:3666;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3546;s:7:"percent";d:3.27;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1662808339 
1402272000

Heroin use is on the rise across the country, including Alabama. Since 2012, heroin overdoses have killed more than 150 people in Birmingham and surrounding suburbs. And that number continues to rise.

A community summit Tuesday at UAB examines the numerous complicated issues surrounding heroin addiction and abuse. The keynote speaker is U.S. Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole.

For more on the growing heroin problem in Northern Alabama, WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley spoke with U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance. Vance discusses the path to heroin addiction and law enforcement’s efforts to stop the drug from spreading.

The heroin summit is Tuesday, June 10 at the UAB National Alumni Society House from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The summit is open to the public. It’s a project of UAB’s School of Public Health, the Jefferson County Department of Public Health and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Alabama.

 

Trump says he’s fighting crime. Illinois Gov. Pritzker sees a power grab before 2026

Steve Inskeep speaks with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker about President Trump's threats to send National Guard troops to Chicago and the future of the Democratic Party.

Who is Lachlan Murdoch, the anointed media tycoon?

His position in leading News Corp. and Fox is now secure, as his father ends a dramatic succession battle. Lachlan grew up in New York City but has lived in Australia for much of his adult life.

You’re more likely to reach for that soda when it’s hot outside

People drink more sugary beverages when it's hot, researchers found, significantly increasing their sugar intake. That impact could grow as climate change raises the world's temperatures.

Trump’s control of the D.C. police is due to expire tonight. Then what?

Trump needs an extension from Congress to control D.C. police for more than 30 days. Some Republican lawmakers are focused on pursuing legislation that would exert power over D.C. in other ways.

33 million voters have been run through a Trump administration citizenship check

Tens of millions of voters have had their information run through the tool — a striking portion of the U.S. public, considering little has been made public about the tool's accuracy or data security.

Poland says it shot down Russian drones that violated its airspace

Poland said Wednesday that it and its NATO allies had shot down Russian drones that violated Polish airspace in what it called an "act of aggression" as Russia launched aerial attacks on Ukraine.

More Government Coverage