Opioid Summit Set For Oct. 30 In North Fulton

JOHNS CREEK, GA -- Fulton County will continue its mission to curtail the use and abuse of heroin and opioid among its residents with a summit scheduled for Oct. 30 in Johns Creek. The H.O.P.E., or Heroin and Opioid Prevention and Education, Summit will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Chattahoochee High School.

Fulton is teaming up with the Summit Counseling Center to host the forum to address the crisis that's left a tragic mark on Georgia's largest county. According to information provided by the county, the number of opioid-related deaths has jumped more than 150 percent since 2010 and that its death rate from opioids is twice the national average.

Around the country, two million people are addicted to pain pills at any given time in their lives, 2,500 teens use prescription pain killers for non-medical reasons and 70 percent of opioid abusers get pills from friends and family, Fulton adds (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

“The opioid epidemic is very real and very frightening nationwide, including here in Fulton County,” said Fulton County Board of Commissioners Vice Chairman Bob Ellis. “It is encouraging that more people are aware of the growing crisis but there is so much for parents and the community to learn. We need their help to take action on the education, treatment and prevention fronts.”

Community members as well as parents and guardians are encouraged to attend the free forum, which will cover new opioid-related initiatives launched by Fulton County; action by government leaders, doctors and community groups; impact of new laws in Georgia regarding prescription tracking and naloxone distribution; warning signs and treatment options; and how to obtain and administer naloxone.

"The opioid epidemic does not discriminate," said Ewell Hardman, master addiction counselor at Summit Counseling Center. "It crosses all boundaries: racial, educational, economic. No one is immune. We want to educate our community about the risks associated with prescription painkillers, warning signs of abuse, and hope for recovery."

The forum will be held in the auditorium at Chattahoochee High School, which is at 5230 Taylor Road in Johns Creek.

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