COLUMBUS (WDTN) — A detailed letter was sent out to the media Tuesday from Ohio Governor John Kasich asking for the public’s help – highlighting some tools available to combat the drug abuse problem in the state.
Leaders on both sides of the aisle in Columbus “have worked together to strengthen the tools” available to schools and local governments engaged in the fight against drug abuse, but Ohio leaders are struggling to solve this problem, Kasich said in the letter.
“This is a battle Ohio cannot afford to lose and only with your help can we have any hope of success.” – Gov. John Kasich
An online directory is available to Ohioans, allowing users to find local resources to get help for addictions of all sorts. You can find resources for your county by going here and checking the box for your county.
Kasich is reaching out to the public, pointing audiences toward effective resources that are working in local communities – stemming the tide of opioid and narcotic abuse as well as provide help for addicts and their families.
It’s no secret that the heroin epidemic and other types of and drug abuse affects everyone it touches. In his letter, Kasich highlighted two specific treatment programs:
StartTalking!: By having a conversation with young people about the dangerous consequences of trying drugs, we know that parents and other trusted adults can reduce the likelihood of kids starting down a path to drug addiction by 50 percent. Many communities and schools in Ohio are already using this program’s free resources, but we know that more can be done. We urge you to engage teachers, parents and mentors in your area to take a minute to have a conversation with students about the dangers of drug abuse. More information is available at www.starttalking.ohio.gov.
GenerationRx: The Ohio State University and Cardinal Health have partnered to design a toolkit for educators at each grade level to teach kids about the dangers of prescription drugs. Check it out at http://www.generationrx.org/take-action.
The state also offers a hotline for Ohioans to locate treatment facilities in their area: 1-877-275-6364.
Death Rates per 100,000 Population:
*Sources: Ohio Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics; Analysis by ODH Injury Prevention Program; U.S. Census Bureau (population estimates).*Includes Ohio residents who died due to unintentional drug poisoning (primary underlying cause of death ICD-10 codes X40-X44).*Rate suppressed if < 10 total deaths for 2010-2015
