Last month, Kroger made Naloxone, a heroin-overdose reversal medication, available without a prescription in the Tri-state. The drug works within minutes and it is believed will save many lives. Ohio and Kentucky rank in the top five for highest overdose death rate, according to the Centers for Disease Control; heroin and prescription pain relievers like fentanyl are responsible for a majority of those deaths.
In Hamilton County, there were almost 200 heroin overdose deaths in 2014 and the abuse of fentanyl is on the rise, claiming 143 lives last year compared to 81 in 2014.
Joining us to discuss efforts to combat the local heroin epidemic are Hamilton County Public Health Commissioner Tim Ingram; President and Addiction Treatment Specialist at BrightView and University of Cincinnati Department of Emergency Medicine Assistant Professor, Dr. Shawn Ryan; and Newtown Police Chief and Head of the Prevention Segment of the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition, Tom Synan.
For help, call the Crisis Hotline: 513 - 281 - 7422
To report suspected heroin dealers, call: 513 -352 - DOPE (3673)