© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Is There a Solution to Ohio's Opioid Crisis?

2016 was an unprecedented year for opioid overdoses nationwide. Since 1999, opioid overdoses and the amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. have quadrupled, creating an  epidemic that spans all ages, communities, and demographics.

Ohio can be considered the "ground zero" of this epidemic. The number of fatal overdoses have quadrupled in the past decade. Southwest Ohio has been particularly hit hard; in Montgomery County, the coroner’s office is now  requesting space from funeral homes to help temporarily store bodies.  

Northeast Ohio is no exception. According to the medical examiner’s office, in 2016, there were  more than 500 overdose deaths in Cuyahoga County. For the first six weeks of 2017,  70 overdose deathshave been recorded. How can we stop this?

Panelists include:

Aaron David Marks, Recovery Advocate 

Joan Papp, M.D., FACEP, The MetroHealth System

Mark I. Singer, Ph.D., Leonard W. Mayo Professor in Family and Child Welfare, Case Western Reserve University

John Tharp, Sheriff, Lucas County 

This conversation is moderated by ideastream® Managing Producer of Health  Kay Colby

Jean-Marie Papoi is a digital producer for the arts & culture team at Ideastream Public Media.