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Mother to combat Paso Robles drug problem after son finds needle

November 17, 2016

15078913_1319237874761212_28660901971663901_nInfuriated by her young son apparently getting pricked by a needled at a city park, a Paso Robles mother is launching a crusade against Paso Robles’ “heroin epidemic.”

On Nov. 11, Desirae De Hoyos and a friend brought their sons to Centennial Park. While De Hoyos was walking on stairs, her 4-year-old boy, Blake, picked up a used syringe.

Initially, De Hoyos thought Blake had not been pricked by the needle. But, the next morning, her son woke up complaining about his finger hurting and De Hoyos noticed a tiny mark on Blake’s finger. De Hoyos took her son to the emergency room, but it is not clear yet if he contracted anything from the needle.

After De Hoyos posted her son’s story on Facebook, she began hearing more stories about the drug problem in Paso Robles, she wrote. One mother told De Hoyos that her son had, too, picked up a syringe at a city park and that there was blood in the hub.

De Hoyos also said a mother told her that, while pushing her stroller, she saw two people shooting up on the walking path behind Albertson’s. Likewise, another person who works in the community said he has seen at least 10 syringes over the last month.

“In order to fix a problem you have to make others aware that a problem exists so I’m sharing this with you,” De Hoyos said in a Facebook post. “I’m taking a stand and I will be a voice for our community!”

The Paso Robles mother said she has contacted the city manager, as well as the two local news outlets and the police department. Paso Robles police did not give De Hoyos a response to her liking.

“I’m infuriated! I’m not ok with the police department telling me they are aware of the problem, and that it’s been a problem for four years now,” De Hoyos wrote.

De Hoyos said she will now bring the matter to the city council and offer at least four ideas on how to nip the problem in the bud, keep walking paths safe and keep the town from being overrun by the heroin epidemic.


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I cannot see how in the world this is reported as a four year long problem. I saw this happening 25 years ago. We used to complain and were told by good old Paso Police that they couldnt do anything about it because they usual suspects were informants for Atascadero Police. Typical in San Luis Obispo to cover up a quarter century drug problem by saying heroin has only been a problem in Paso Robles for four years.


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Bottom line is that methadone needs to be EASY to get for addicts if we want to slow the heroin/oxycontin/morphine/etc problem. At the present, an addict must go to the Aegis clinics in either Atascadero or Santa Maria every day for their ONE dose. They must have money to pay and a way to get to the clinic every day. I understand the need for only giving them their daily dose at a site (they would use a week’s worth in a day), but I think they need clinics in multiple easy to access sites all over the county. The problem is, this costs money to fund, and no one wants to fund drugs for addicts. Hence the needles in the park, in our front yards, in the trash.


Insurance companies don’t want to pay for drug treatment and dual diagnosis care. It costs about $27000-35k for 30 day rehab. 30 days is crap. 90 days is a minimum, and who has that kind of $$?


This problem was created when pharmaceutical companies started schmoozing doctors, the FDA, and anyone else they could to get their painkillers out on the street. Teenagers start stealing Grandpa’s meds, people hurt themselves and get hooked on pills, and the epidemic was created. It is really hard to stop the drug problem when the problem is pervasive and makes certain corporations billions.


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There is no magic in methadone. Make it easy and you have another addictive and abused drug in kid’s hands and the heroin addict now has a product to sell in support of his habit. Could be that’s why the drug’s ingestion is monitored so closely.


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Not if insurance would cover it and if the addict could participate in a program. The methadone is given out at a local clinic daily, so the addict must take the drug on site. No drugs to sell if they truly want help. It is obviously not ideal, but I don’t know what else can be done. Heroin is so very addictive that methadone is usually the only doable alternative.


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As a retired PRPD officer I know drug abuse is not a victimless crime. Mandated Treatment for users is needed but severe prison time for dealers is the only cure including life. Unfortunately Californians cant differentiate the two and now thousands of convicted drug dealers will soon be released from prison. Stop the liberal abuse of the law or you will see many more stories like this.


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Mandatory minimums were the go to solution of the 80s and 90s, but those laws did little to stem supply. In fact the growing consensus seems to be that they made the problem worse. Most people who are involved in sales are not kingpins but addicts trying to support a habit. Putting people in jail for 25+ years didn’t stop the flood of drugs into the country, but it did rip apart families and communities and further undermine potential. —and don’t forget it costs 30k to 50k+ per year to confine each inmate.


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Many countries are moving towards supervised injection sites where addicts are given both a secure environment AND the drug they are addicted to. Sounds counterintuitive, but drug gangs have taken a large financial hit, and crime rates and addiction rates are down significantly. Junkies aren’t stealing as much to pay for their fix because they can get it for free, and medical staff and social workers are available at sites to ensure safety and to assist with treatment. —all at a cost that is significantly cheaper than what we are paying to lock up addicts, which usually makes the problem worse.


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