International (MNN) – Heroin is a monstrous foe. People caught in its clutches might get a temporary high, but even one use causes irreparable brain damage. Heroin is ripe for causing addiction – and that’s heroin on its own.
We spoke with Brandon Bower of The Lighthouse to learn more about the devastating impact of heroin on its users.
The truth is that heroin is rarely sold in a “pure” form. Dealers typically mix heroin with other substances. Sometimes, they’re diluting it, making the dealer’s stash of heroin last longer and generating more money for the dealer. To dilute it, dealers may cut the heroin with starch, sugar, or other dangerous chemicals. This is very dangerous, since it means users don’t know what they’re actually putting in their bodies.
Other dealers will cut heroin with more intense opioids like fentanyl. This creates a stronger high, convincing users that the particular dealer’s product is “better” because it’s more potent. However, opioids like fentanyl are incredibly dangerous and can be lethal in even small quantities.
“This is why illegal drugs are so scary,” Bower says. “One dealer might cut it this way, and another dealer cuts it that way. You think you’re getting what you’ve always used, and all of a sudden you’re getting something more powerful.”
Nearly half of the people The Lighthouse serves suffer from opioid addiction.
“The Lighthouse is in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but the exciting thing is we’re having a worldwide reach,” Bower says. “We’ve got people from all over the country and all over the world that are interacting with our services.”
The goal is to show people that no matter their fight, God is stronger than the enemy.
“There is no sin too great that Jesus can’t free us from and that’s the message of The Lighthouse[…] It is a worldwide message that needs to get out there, that God loves you and he has a plan for your life, and He can help you break the chains of anything you’re trapped in.”
So what’s the next step? Bower has written a book called What Do I Do Now: A Guide for Those Who Love an Addict that helps provide a starting place. It lists several steps to help guide loved ones through their addiction, including setting boundaries and showing healthy support.
But ultimately, God is the most powerful weapon in any fight against addiction. That’s why Bower and the rest of the Lighthouse team is asking for your prayer.
“It takes a toll on our emotional and our physical beings as we’re walking through these dark things with people. So just pray for our team [to have and] tap into the strength that only God can give.”
Learn more about The Lighthouse right here.
Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.
