It can sound crazy to those who don't understand. Those who have never lived in the grips of an addiction to something like heroin.
We've been covering the crisis for years now, but there is always some new piece of information or perspective that surprises us.
Like when police told News 5 that, when someone dies from an overdose, their friends want to know where they can get some of those drugs.
'Gray Death': Ohio police agencies told to look out for new drug cocktail
But William Bennett, Misty Best and Tugg Massa — they get it.
William Bennett
Bennett awoke on a stretcher after falling on his face. Days before, his dealers waited for his release outside prison.
He hasn't held his kids in years and his son knows about his addiction.
"He said, 'Grammy, I told you, my dad loves drugs more than me,'" Bennett told News 5.
On the streets, death doesn't discourage.
Misty Best
"When I would hear that somebody overdosed, I'd be like 'where can I get that at?'" Best told News 5.
Best snorted heroin and eventually shot up. That was 8 years ago.
"I had an infection from I-V drug use," she said.
It gnawed away at her knee as cravings ate at her.
Now, Best is 11 months clean.
Tugg Massa
Massa used to sell drugs.
He now runs Akron Say No to Dope.
"Wherever there's one down, there's four more. Trust me," he said. "You don't care about the outcome."
The organization aims to take opioid addicts away from addiction.
They've already placed hundreds of users in treatment facilities over the past 8 months.
Akron Say No to Dope encourages anyone looking for help or to volunteer to check its website here.
