JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- It's an epidemic claiming more lives in Duval County than ever before. It's use, sale and incarceration rates related to the drug are all dramatically increasing. Local rehab facilities say they too are tackling nearly 50 percent more heroin cases now than years past.
"You can easily, especially in Jacksonville they're everywhere there's a drug dealer on every corner," said Kelsey McCoy. "All you have to do is go up and (ask) do you know where I can find this? And if they don't know and if they don't have it they know someone who does. It never fails. You can always find it."
For McCoy, the access to heroin was literally at her fingertips. She went from abusing pain pills to using heroin and explains an ex-boyfriend introduced her to the drug.
"It was the cost," said McCoy. "Pain pills were getting too expensive. It's $30 a pill or you could spend $20 and get what would be the same effect of using two pills. It gives you a feeling of power almost."
That powerful feeling, false courage and hope nearly cost the mother of two everything.
"I have a 4-month-old and a 9-year-old," said McCoy. "I've always had my children, I've always been a good mom. It came down to either I come here or I lose my kids and I'm not losing my kids."
But she nearly lost her life, like so many across the nation and close to home. Heroin-related deaths in Duval have risen from 17 in 2014 to 45 last year.
"I'm not surprised because heroin use is up," said Danny Smith, a physician assistant at Gateway Community Services. "When people come in (I ask) what's your drug choice? Heroin. It use to be this, but the heroin is less expensive so they're using more and more heroin."
For five years Smith has worked with rehab patients at Gateway Community Services. They've seen a 43-percent spike in heroin use from July through February when compared to the previous year.
Dr. Raymond Pomm serves as the Vice President of Medical Services at River Region and the Medical Director at Gateway. He says more than 75 percent of high school heroin users started with prescription opioids, which are pain relievers. Pills they're able to retrieve from a parents medicine cabinet. He says it starts with what's easily accessible.
"Parents need to talk to their kids a lot more," said Smith. "See what they're doing and be involved with them. I think that will help more than anything else."
McCoy, now just weeks away from walking out the door and completing a rehab program so many could not, warns that a heroin high is short lived but its effects could last a lifetime.
"It's so dangerous just stay away from it," said McCoy. "You literally could go get one thing from one person one day and be fine and get the exact same amount from the exact same person the very next day and fall out and overdose."
With her own eyes she sees a new beginning, in her children's faces, McCoy sees hope and in her own words, "It's very very nerve racking going back into the world again."
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office the incarceration rate for heroin-related crimes grew from 77 in 2014 to 117 last year. So far this year there have already been 19 heroin-related arrests. Smith warns drugs are far reaching and can be found in any neighborhood.