Editor’s note: This story is part of a series, Hooked: America’s Heroin Epidemic, that will be featured on NBC News from April 7-9.

When they were little, Ben and Ryan used to ride their bikes together on the quiet streets of their suburban St. Louis neighborhood. But by their twenties, the brothers had found a new hobby to share — heroin.

“We used to plot and plan to get high together,” said Ryan. The family asked that we use only first names to protect their identities. Link To series of Heroin Stories…