Heroin is quickly becoming the drug of choice in Denton County.
County officials call it a growing problem. So far this year, eight people have died from the drug.
"Denton County, for whatever reason, has avoided it up until now," said Denton County Drug Enforcement Unit Sgt. Jeff Davis. "Now, it is a problem. It is something we are dealing with on a daily basis."
Davis said half of the county's drug cases are heroin-related.
"When you go from three years ago it not being on the radar to three years later and you have eight deaths, that tells me there is a pretty substantial problem that is growing," he said.
Scott Wisenbaker, the director of Solutions of North Texas, a drug addiction and alcoholism treatment center, said most of the people who died were younger than 25.
"These were not junkies," he said. "These were kids. These were good kids. We have such an issue with not letting anyone see our dirty laundry that we try to cover it up. This is not like Uncle Jeff grew up to be a drunk. This is our kid who might not grow up to graduate."
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Dani Gonzales overcame a heroin addiction.
"You sort of become used to the reality that you might die, and if you are lucky, you won't," she said. "It is a miracle that I am even here."
Gonzales, who was arrested on drug-related charges in Denton County in the past, said she's not surprised by heroin's gain in popularity.
"It's not just street people anymore -- professionals, soccer coaches, teachers, things like that," she said.
