OVERDOSE AWARENESS In The Panhandle

Today is International Overdose Awareness Day. You have no doubt had a Facebook friend or two put the purple ribbon on their Facebook page in reminder. You may also have read in your newsfeed a time or two in August reminders from your friends about today.

In my opinion, everyday is overdose awareness day. Kevin Knowles, our Recovery Services Coordinator recently spoke with local news WHAG and gave this report on our number of overdoses in the past seven months.

"In a county of only 110,000, there have been 345 overdoses in the past seven months. Overdoses include those resulting from alcohol, pills, tainted marijuana, and other drugs.

Forty-five of these heroin overdoses resulted in death.

Councilman Knowles told reporter Nina Kapur that if this trend continues we are looking at 70-80 plus overdose related deaths by the end of 2016 here in the county."

I recently posted an, Up For Discussion post, Do We Need A Treatment Center Here? This post opened the discussion back up for the need for a treatment center in our community. I had someone comment, but the overwhelming number of emails I got on this subject were in favor of a treatment center.

A reader wishing to remain anonymous replied,

Yes & No. We don't necessarily need one here but we need one (or more) in the vicinity. Why is it that treatment centers are popping up everywhere except here? In Winchester there are two. 

Treatment Center Marketers are always coming here to pitch their centers but no private company is coming Here to build one. Please ask you officials WHY IS IT? It is that WV insurance is to high, that we have to many restrictions/regulations, that we are not business friendly? 

So instead, we sit patiently by while our children die and depend on the government to fix this for us.
P.S. Some addicts do not want local treatment for fear of being with people they used with (it's a trigger).

Those with substance abuse problems and disorders are not getting treatment. Millions of people in this country with drug abuse problems are not getting treatment. Only about 1 in 5 who need treatment, get treatment. Addiction is a disease, according to the American Medical Association.

I noticed that this post also got some signatures on the Petition Against the City and County for a treatment center. I didn't retreat from that push. The petition still exists.

Overdose deaths is now the #1 leading cause of death in this country. The fatalities have quadrupled in the past few years. 47,055 people in this country died last year which was the highest mortality rate recorded. Another fact that is killing people from substance abuse is the fact that society "excludes" people with substance abuse problems. We need to move towards "inclusion" otherwise this will continue on.

We cannot forget the lives here that have been lost. Young lives with so much potential. Let us remember, Never Forget Them and always speak their names!

Many thanks to those reading and still supporting that something be done, as well as to the growing numbers of people who are reading this blog! You are amazing!

© 2016 Gossip Girl