State officials will launch a campaign on Monday to educate the public about fentanyl and heroin overdose deaths.
Jim Letizia reports.
Franklin County had 12 fentanyl deaths in 2014, the latest year for which data is available. And the Butler County coroner's office reports nearly 50 people have died so far this year from Heroin and fentanyl overdoses, a pace that is below the record set last year, but one that accounts for nearly half of all deaths reported in that county. An awareness campaign in Butler, Franklin and many other Ohio counties is set to launch next week. The campaign by the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services includes two billboards, along with radio, mobile and digital ads with links to a new state website, stopoverdoses.ohio.gov. The site informs people about the heroin antidote naloxone and urges them to stock up on it. The campaign is being launched after the Centers for Disease Control released a report in March recommending a focus on high-risk populations in Ohio, primarily white males with a history of substance and mental-health issues.
