Kasich asks schools for help with drug crisis

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Ohio’s governor and top law enforcer asked educators across the state on Thursday to help in the battle against opiate addiction.

Gov. John Kasich and Attorney General Mike DeWine, both Republicans, made the plea in a conference call with about 200 school superintendents, principals, counselors and other education leaders.

Kasich asked the officials to spread the word to teachers and other colleagues of the value of delivering regular warnings to students about the negative effects of drug use. He cited a statistic that a student who hears a message discouraging them from using drugs has a 50 percent likelihood of not using them, making it “within our power” to have an impact.

Kasich said Ohio is making important progress against a record-high number of fatal overdoses from heroin and painkillers but “progress isn’t enough.”