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Friday, August 28, 2015

Worcester County starts opioid awareness program

Worcester County is responding to a hefty increase in the percentage of opioid-related misuse, overdose and death rates by creating a long-term awareness campaign called “Decisions Matter.”

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health provided by organizers, heroin related overdose deaths have jumped almost 300 percent between the years of 2002 and 2013 to almost three people per 100,000.

Col. Douglas Dods of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, chair of the committee, said opioid abuse, heroin use in particular, has increased 80 percent between 2011-2012 nationally, and locally 7.4 percent of local high school seniors have reported using heroin. Dods said 20 percent of seniors have reported using opioids not prescribed to them.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just say no and remember to not give in to peer pressure, though it may be awkward at the moment. It's worth noting that a few moments of awkwardness by saying No will save you from a lifetime-which will be a very short lifespan because drug users die sooner rather than later- of the misery and hopelessness of being a drug addict.

lmclain said...

Watch out!!!
There's another boogeyman to fear.
THREE people out of 100,000???
More people probably die from falling down the stairs.
MORE laws!! More "testing". More surveillance!! More PRISONS!!!
Which one is it? "For our safety"? "It's for the children, for God's sake!!"? Or, "terrorists are after us again!!!"?
Ever hear of natural selection?
"Life is hard, but it's much harder when you're stupid"
John Wayne
How true.