Shippensburg University hosted a heroin and opioid epidemic forum tonight that discussed the drug problems Pennsylvania communities are facing.
The forum was hosted by United States Rep. Lou Barletta and Pennsylvania State Rep. Mark Keller. The evening’s moderator was RJ Harris from WHP 580 Radio. Other panelists included Carrie DeLone, Holy Spirit Medical Group director, M.D.; David Freed, Cumberland County district attorney; Charles Hall, Cumberland County coroner; Kenneth Martz, psychologist; Fred Scott, Shippensburg chief of police; and Kristin Varner, director of training and advocacy from the RASE Project.
The panelists agreed public awareness of the opioid problem in America is an important factor necessary in regards to solving the problem. In the past year, 3,500 Pennsylvania residents died from prescription opioid overdoses, according to Martz. Barletta said 91 Americans die every day from opioid overdose.
“This is a problem that can’t just be fixed by the federal government. It’s not a problem that can just be fixed by the state government. It’s going to take all of us working together to change this,” Barletta said.
Martz said 80 percent of heroin addicts started out taking prescription opioids.
“The opioid epidemic is the only epidemic that was started by the pharmaceutical company and propagated by the healthcare industry,” DeLone said.
Panelists reiterated that addiction has no demographic and affects everyone. Hall said he witnessed overdoses from people from age 18 to 88.
“If you see something, say something," Hall said. “Get the dealers off the street.”
Read the full story in Tuesday’s issue of The Slate.
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