With Alabama ranked as the nation's highest prescribing state for opioid pain reliever prescriptions, it's time for state officials to act to end the epidemic.
With that goal in mind, the University of North Alabama, in conjunction with Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow (D-Red Bay), will host a town hall meeting to raise awareness of opioid addiction in Alabama.
The event is set for Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 4-6 p.m., in the Norton Auditorium on UNA's campus.
According to a study by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Franklin County ranks ninth among Alabama's 67 counties in opioid prescriptions per capita, with 1.6 prescriptions written per person.
Gov. Kay Ivey recently signed Executive Order 708, which established the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. With an estimated 30,000 Alabamians over the age of 17 addicted to prescription painkillers or heroin, the order states that this epidemic requires “a systemic change and the development of a unified, comprehensive strategy to guide, support and evaluate this change.”
The governor's council will develop and submit a strategic action plan to her by Dec. 31, 2017, that establishes recommendations for policy, regulatory and legislative actions to address the overdose crisis.
According to the CDC, Alabama ranks highest in the nation as having more opioid prescriptions than people, with Alabama doctors writing 5.8 million prescriptions for opioids in 2015. Alabama's 2015 population was 4.859 million.
Scheduled to appear at the Sept. 27 meeting are Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Mental Health Lynn Beshear, Acting State Health Officer Scott Harris, State Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence), Riverbend Center for Mental Health CEO Bryan Libell, and Chair of UNA's Counselor Education Department Quinn Pearson.
The event is free and open to the public. Social work, nursing and counseling continuing education units (CEUS) will be available to certified professionals.
“I hope to see a good turnout from Franklin County at this town hall event,” Morrow said. “This is a major health epidemic that affects all Alabamians.”
A recent look at the grand jury indictments in Franklin County shows how rampant drug charges are in the county. The June indictment list indicates, of the 50 individuals indicted on felony charges, 26 were facing drug charges.
According to www.thewellnesscoalition.org, Franklin County saw a 6.1 percent increase in filled opioid prescriptions in 2015, earning the county a rank of fourth-highest in Alabama. Cleburne County, which ranked first, saw an alarming increase of 97.4 percent in opioid prescriptions written in 2015.
Opioid abuse isn't a male-dominated problem. In fact, the BCBS study showed that among those 45 and older, women have a higher rate of opioid abuse than do men.
The BCBS Health Index shows the top five conditions affecting the health of Franklin County residents to be: hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression/anxiety and substance use disorder.
