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Newshawk: Herb Couch
Pubdate: Mon, 18 Aug 2014
Source: Cincinnati Enquirer (OH)
Copyright: 2014 The Cincinnati Enquirer
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/aeNtfDqb
Website: http://www.cincinnati.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/86
Author: Mitch McConnell
Note: Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, is minority
leader of the U.S. Senate.
BILL WOULD REDUCE INFANT DRUG ADDICTION
Kentucky has a growing prescription drug abuse and heroin abuse
problem, and the scope of the problem is shocking. Our state has the
nation's third-highest mortality rate from drug overdoses, which are
largely driven by prescription painkillers. According to the Kentucky
Office of Drug Control Policy, about 1,000 Kentuckians a year fatally
overdose on drugs -- that's more than are lost to fatal car crashes. Heroin deaths continue to climb and accounted for 32 percent of the
drug overdose deaths last year.
Earlier this year, I convened a listening session in Kentucky to hear
from those closest to the problem, including professionals in the
medical, public health, and law-enforcement fields as well as a brave
young man who managed to break free from heroin addiction after seeing
his friends overdose.
One issue that was raised during this session that particularly caught
my sympathies was the increasing number of infants being born in
Kentucky dependent on opiates in the form of prescription painkillers
and heroin. Researchers estimate that one baby every hour is now born
nationwide dependent on drugs and suffering from withdrawal.
[Remainder snipped]
MAP posted-by: Jo-D
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