The fight against the opioid crisis continues in eastern Kentucky. The Kentucky Opioid Abatement Council is holding their third town hall meeting this evening in Hazard. Their goal is to hear from eastern Kentuckians about what they see as some of the biggest problems regarding opioids in their communities.
Bryan Hubbard is the chair and executive director of the council. He said there is some special concern when it comes to parts of Kentucky hit by July’s deadly floods.
“It is an issue of the pain and suffering that is being experienced in the community, which plants the seeds for future opioid dependency and the potential addiction that comes with that.”
He said they made it a point to make sure their meetings started in eastern Kentucky.
“It is ground zero for this epidemic, which began approximately 35 years ago. So far as it as suffered, mightily, the brunt of the opioid epidemic, it should be the first point of call for this commission to hear the truth of what has happened.”
Hubbard said the council is meeting communities in central and western Kentucky in the coming weeks. He said the council take the information they gather and use it to prioritize funding projects. Tonight’s meeting will be held at the Forum in Hazard and will run from 6PM-until-8PM.
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