VISION & GOALS

One Community. One Problem. One Goal.

Our goal is growing a community committed to reduce youth and young adult substance misuse while creating a thriving culture of wellness

CURRENT

One North Fulton focuses on:

• Underage drinking
• Misuse of Prescription medications
• Other illicit drugs

HISTORY

One Johns Creek was established in 2019 to address the substance use issues specific to Johns Creek. Johns Creek, the 10th largest city in Georgia, is an affluent city lends itself to dynamics that adversely impact youth, young adults as well as older adults’ substance use.

With privilege comes disconnection as busy lives, diffused family structures, access to substances and demand for above-average performance equals an environment conducive to risky and self-soothing behaviors that too often lead to substance use/misuse and catastrophic circumstances. Vape shops along with grocery and convenience stores have also flooded the market within the past two years providing paraphernalia and smoke/nicotine products. Alcohol is readily available in many retail formats from grocery stores to multitudes of package stores and most parents keep their liquor cabinets stocked without keeping inventory. Johns Creek, as a part of the “heroin triangle” where heroin overdose is concerning, is an area of significant illegal drug use with intent to distribute based on the socio-economic climate and excess financial resources.

WHY

• Voice of Prevention
• Reduce Youth Drug Use and Promote Community Wellness
• Heroin Triangle

THE HEROIN TRIANGLE

The Heroin Triangle is a group of Atlanta suburbs that have faced increasingly high rates of heroin-related deaths. It includes Fulton, Dekalb, Cobb, and Gwinnett counties.

More specifically, it begins north of Atlanta, extends northwest to Marietta, east to Alpharetta, Duluth, and Johns Creek, and then southwest to Sandy Springs.

Between 2010 and 2016, heroin-related deaths in these areas increased by 3,844 percent.

In 2017, researchers observed similar death rates in Cherokee and Forsyth counties. They now include these areas when referring to the Heroin Triangle. New data shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased substance abuse in communities nationwide, including North Fulton.

What Caused the Heroin Triangle?

Researchers haven’t identified a specific cause of The Triangle’s sudden rise in heroin deaths.

However, many believe that stress plays a role. Stress is a common cause of drug abuse. In the Heroin Triangle, adults often have highly demanding jobs that cause significant anxiety. Similarly, many teenagers attend competitive schools and feel extreme pressure to get into certain colleges.

These people may turn to heroin to numb their anxieties. Heroin is not only cheaper than most other drugs but also easier to get, especially in large cities like Atlanta. That’s because drug distribution networks are usually located in cities.

From Atlanta’s 11 Alive News: The Triangle – Heroin is killing young people in the Atlanta suburbs