KITTERY – Police say heroin use appears to be on the rise in Kittery and in Portsmouth, N.H., thanks to a combination of falling prices and an increase in consumption of so-called gateway drugs such as methadone and OxyContin.

Kittery police Detective Steve Hamel says a bundle of heroin, equivalent to 10 bags of the drug, can be purchased for $50.

Portsmouth police Capt. Janet Champlin said heroin’s appeal is enhanced because it can be smoked as well as injected.

Police departments in the region cite a rash of drug arrests this year, but officials say prevention programs as well as strict enforcement are needed to deal with the problem.