Thread by @VICENews

NEW: Heroin is disappearing from drug markets across North America— a trend that experts say is wreaking havoc.
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In many former heroin strongholds in the U.S. and Canada, the heroin supply is being replaced with fentanyl, which is behind the majority of overdose deaths.
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"Most of the Eastern states, for the past several years, it's been very difficult to get much heroin at all and a lot of the times it will just be pure fentanyl," said Dr. Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist.
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In some places where heroin was once widely available, dealers and users told VICE News there's no heroin to be found. And they want it back, not just because it’s their drug of choice, but because its replacement—fentanyl—is killing people in droves.
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“[Heroin] overdoses would be in the thousands every year, which is still bad and requires work. But seeing now almost 100,000 Americans died last year from overdoses, and that’s primarily from fentanyl,” Marino said.
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Drug users who’ve shifted from using heroin to fentanyl are seeing their tolerances increase, making it harder to switch back, even if that’s what they desire. Fentanyl is also shorter-acting, meaning users need more of it more often to avoid withdrawal.
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Some users are calling for a heroin renaissance of sorts—they want a legal exemption to source and use it—before it’s too late.

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