Ohio Governor John Kasich says although the state has made progress in fighting prescription drug abuse, it remains a problem. Kasich wants parents and other adults to start talking to children about the dangers of drugs. He is promoting a new state initiative focused on getting the message to middle school and high school students. Paul Schoonover of Columbus spoke during the launch of the initiative this week.
Officials running the initiative are accepting applications from schools and community groups for federal grant money to fund drug prevention programs. State figures show drug overdoses, spurred by increased use of painkillers and heroin, have surpassed vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death in Ohio.