Drugs are everywhere, and there is definitely a problem coursing though our quaint sub-new England streets – a problem which everyone seems to have been made well aware of.

To many, it seems heroin has killed and claimed the livelihood of our once naïve youth. Members of our community have died from overdose, toddlers are being diagnosed with Hepatitis and the ever growing drug crime rate continues to escalate towards numbers not seen since the 1970's.

Even at my office, I spend most days proofing and editing copy written by others I work with. They spend their time writing and reporting the hot-button issues surrounding both the drug trade and consequential criminal and penal repercussions associated with the lifestyle.

Luckily, The topic has still primarily been kept at bay for me on a personal level; but things are evolving everyday – and now I cannot help but take notice.

One of the first experiences that peaked my attention was the discovery of a used syringe that was happened upon in the parking lot between the two buildings where I work.

The officer who responded drove his patrol unit to “the scene,” and I estimate that it took longer to drive here than it would had the officer simply walked across the parking lot that separates the two properties.

I only mention that to shed some perspective on the proximity of my office to law enforcement 24/7. We can literally see in each other's windows; depending on the direction of the prevailing winds one of my kids could probably glide a paper airplane over there. It's that close.

At any rate, the police were called to handle the situation and in the end no one was actually hurt, but that's not to say that it wasn't an unnerving event. They did handle the needle, and I'll presume that they disposed of it responsibly according to their protocol.

Later that day, while discussing the matter with our editor, we were informed that if we were ever to discover something of the like, she would then summon the police to deal with it again accordingly.

Since then, I have become more and more aware of where I walk and where I step for fear of getting poked by medical waste. This is the society we live in now, and I can't help but feel saddened by it.