COLUMBUS (WCMH) – State officials said the opiate epidemic is taking lives in alarming numbers across Ohio.

1,200 people from 80 Ohio Counties met at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Groveport for  “Ideas in Motion — Fighting Ohio’s Drug Epidemic” to brainstrom and share ideas about what is working in the fight against the opiate epidemic.

“Easter of last year my daughter overdosed at my house. Then five days before Christmas my oldest son overdosed at his mother’s house,” said Roger D. Winemiller. Two of his children died from an overdose and two other survived from an overdose.

Those on the front lines welcome other ideas in the epidemic battle.

“Working with the adjacent counties and police departments, we have managed to keep a hold on things and even one loss of life is too much for me,” said Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader. He said he has 16 road deputies who are going through training to administer Narcan. In the first six weeks of this year, Reader said his office has spent $13,000 in overtime.

Church Pastor Tony  Liuzzo said churches and their congregations need to do their part in the battle against drug abuse. “If we don’t realize there is a problem in our community, God has planted churches in the community to be a help and hope, then we need to recognize the issues and learn what to do to fix them.”

The idea behind the summit was to share what is working with other counties and first responders and try to find answer as to why some methods are not working.

“I think for all of us – all of us – we need to treat this as what it really is, which is a horrible, horrible situation, and there has to be a sense of urgency in what we do,” said Mike DeWine, Ohio Attorney General. On a related issue, DeWine said his office is looking into the cost of Narcan skyrocketing, and said they are talking to the drug companies involved.

The Winemillers said the battle against this drug epidemic should not be based on money.

“Forget about the dollar signs and think about lives,” said Winemiller.

If you have questions about this drug epidemic you can contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Heroin Unit. You can call their help line at 1-800-282-0551.