This news item expired on Thursday, November 30, 2017 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
Buncombe County Commissioners Ellen Frost and Mike Fryar will host one more Opioid Town Hall in District 2 during the month of November.
MAHEC experts and peer support counselors from Family Preservation Services and Sunrise Community Wellness and Recovery will discuss the issue of opioid addiction and opioid-related deaths which are skyrocketing in our area.
The community is invited to the next Opioid Town Halls:
- November 30 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Fairview Branch Library
1 Taylor Road in Fairview
Please join us to discuss the opioid epidemic, steps to prevent misuse, and how to support those who struggle with addiction. We can all take an active role in stopping the epidemic through education, self-advocacy, and removing barriers to recovery.
Topics of conversation will include:
- An overview of the epidemic of painkiller addiction,
- Practical ways to prevent substance use disorder from taking root,
- Steps to safety and support for substance use disorder, and
- Core messages about this public health epidemic.
Refreshments will be served, and there will be an opportunity to ask the speakers questions after the presentation.
Over 17 million painkillers were prescribed in Buncombe County in 2016. This equals almost 68 pills for every adult and child in Buncombe County. From January to August 2017 there were 230 opioid overdose emergency department visits in Buncombe County. Today in North Carolina, you are more likely to die of an overdose than a car crash.
Addiction is a disease and can happen to anyone. Whether you or someone you know is impacted by opioid addiction, help and hope are closer than you think.
Learn more about the County's response.