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Opioids being sold on social media websites

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Social media sites are being used as a platform to sell opioids — making it easier than ever for those drugs to get in the wrong hands.

24-Hour News 8 searched and found some of those posts within minutes. Some of them pop up when you do a simple search, but others disguised with code words.

It is a trend local recovery groups are watching closely.

“It’s frustrating. Very, very frustrating. It is hard enough to get it out of our neighborhoods, let alone being in every single household with the click of a button. If you can easily click a button, you can easily get these opioids and be in deeper trouble than we are right now,” Kenny McRee said.

McRee runs an organization called Ravenswood Hope. The group helps connect those battling addiction and their families with resources they need to get clean.

So far, McRee said, he hasn’t heard of postings selling opioids being used in Indianapolis, but he knows they are out there.

“They will disguise meeting places, the words, they’ll disguise things to get past law enforcement,” McRee said.

It’s something that hits close to home for McRee. His daughter overcame a heroin addiction that started after she was prescribed pain pills for an injury.

He said knowing those types of pills could be readily available online is something every parent needs to watch out for.

“I think they should in general be worried about social media and be proactive about monitoring and overseeing what their kids are looking at,” McRee said.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, these posts are not a major issue right now in Indianapolis.

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