Town hall on drug abuse planned

Staff report

CHAMPION

The Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention Opiate Task Force will host a town-hall discussion at 6 p.m. May 17 to raise awareness of the changing demographics of drug addiction in Trumbull County and the increase in unintentional overdose deaths.

It will be at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center on Educational Highway.

“The problems have reached epidemic proportions, and we need to address it now. Our county ranks ninth in the state for accidental drug-overdose deaths,” said Lauren Thorp, ASAP project director.

“Homes are being broken into by people looking to abuse prescription medications or items to sell for drug money. Our family, friends and neighbors are dying,” she said.

Town-hall attendees will hear from state and county experts, including the Ohio Department of Drug and Alcohol Addiction Services, Trumbull County Coroner Dr. Germaniuk, Newton Falls Municipal Court Judge Phillip Vigorito and the TAG Law Enforcement Task Force.

Local elected officials, treatment professionals and family members affected by addiction also will be a part of the discussion.