SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif- Black tar heroin is making its way through the country and its becoming more popular in SLO county.
The SLO County Sheriff's Office says the number of cases involving heroine has increased significantly. In 2010 there were 22 cases of heroin seizures.
This year only 8 months in, that number has doubled.
"Both the number of cases of people who are using heroin as well as selling heroin," says Tony Cipolla, SLO Sheriff's Public Information Officer.
Cipolla says almost all of the heroin is coming from across the border.
One of the biggest reasons we are seeing it more, is that it is easily accessible and cheap. "When you have a drug that is low priced like that, then that's where the demand comes from," says Cipolla.
Drug investigators say many users changed their habits when the makers of Oxycontin reformulated the pill.
"Drug users weren't able to use it to get their high, so they turned to heroin because it was readily accessible at a fairly low cost."
Officials say what's worse, is heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs, because it's highly addictive and you rarely see it used recreationally.
Officials say marijuana is still the most highly used drug, next is meth, but heroin is gaining traction quickly.
It has become a regular find during drug busts.
