Adolescent Substance Abuse Articles
Ohio governor forms task force to address prescription drug use
By Staff Writer
In an effort to curb Ohio's prescription drug problem, state governor John Kasich has formed a prescription drug abuse task force, The Associated Press reported.
More than 1,300 Ohio residents died from accidental drug overdose in 2009, according to the news source. This is now the leading cause of accidental death in the state, topping car crashes.
Kasich has taken several steps to combat the problem of opiate addiction in Ohio. This includes an increased focus on Scioto County, a troubled area where 9.7 million doses of painkillers were prescribed last year.
The state will provide $100,000 in funding for a new halfway house and outpatient treatment facility that individuals can use to seek substance abuse help for their addiction. In addition, Kasich has appointed Betty Montgomery, Ohio's former attorney general and auditor, to advise the new task force.
Ohio's task force will be comprised of state health and safety officials, the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, youth and correction agencies and the office of Mike DeWine, the current attorney general.
Approximately 7 million individuals across the country reported using prescription drugs for nonmedical use in the month prior to taking the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
