COLUMBUS – Democratic lawmakers at the Statehouse want Governor John Kasich to declare treat Ohio’s opioid addiction epidemic as a public health emergency and commit more resources to fighting it.
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The call same after Cincinnati police and emergency crews said they responded to 39 overdoses from Monday through 1:00 a.m. Wednesday, bringing the total number of overdoses in the city since August 19 to about 270.
Investigators believe heroin involved in some of the overdoses was mixed with an animal tranquilizer or a powerful painkiller, such as fentanyl, which has been blamed for the recent spike in fatal overdoses.
“If we do not act decisively now, with a strong and unified statewide response, we risk allowing more families to lose loved ones, more innocent children to grow up without a mother or a father, and more parents having to bury their teenage or adult children,” said Rep. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) during a news conference at the Statehouse Thursday.
Data recently released by the Ohio Department of Health shows that drug overdoses killed a record 3,050 people – and average of eight each day – in the state last year. The department says 279 people in Franklin County died from unintentional overdose deaths in 2015, a 42 percent jump from the previous year.
“Too many Ohio families are losing loved ones to drug addiction and overdoses. We must marshal all available state resources and attention to fight back against this rapidly growing threat to our communities,” said Rep. Greta Johnson (D-Akron).
The Kasich administration has created numerous websites — such as starttalkingohio.org and generationrx.org — to increase parents’ and teachers’ knowledge and improve their confidence in speaking with kids about substance use and what they can do help children avoid drugs.
Another website lists public and private treatment organizations by county.
#Opioid OD symptom: Noisy/irregular breathing, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest https://t.co/9s7Ag3AgJh #OHFightsHeroin #OverdoseAware2016
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 31, 2016
A poster from the attorney-general’s office lists the warning signs of opioid abuse or addiction and the signs of an overdose and includes a statewide hotline number that those looking for assistance can call.
The lawmakers noted that while local providers are doing everything they can to prevent and treat drug addiction at the community-level, they are not equipped or adequately funded to fight the opioid crisis alone.