Dear dreaming715:

I hope you find some brain/heart peaceful meeting place on this difficult issue. I hope your brother does not go to jail (are there news on his legal case, I wonder). And I hope he will heal from his addiction.

I knew someone for ten years, he was a heavy duty heroin addict since he was a teenager. He injected heroin into his feet because he ran out of places on his body, literally. He was in his sixties last I saw him, physically healthy.

I wonder if the methadone maintenance treatment may help your brother?

anita