US District Attorney to Hold Opioid Abuse Epidemic Forums

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Three opioid abuse epidemic forums will be presented by Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District.

One will be at the New York University School of Law in New York, Thursday, Oct. 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

A second forum will be held Thursday, Dec. 1 at Pace Law School in White Plains, with a third Thursday, Dec. 8 at Fordham University in the Bronx.

Bharara will be joined by representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the medical field and the communities.

Bharara said close to 80 Americans die each day form opioid abuse and more die from drug overdoses now than auto accidents or guns.

“This growing epidemic is everywhere—in our cities, our suburbs and our rural communities,” he said. “This problem will not be solved by prosecutions alone, although law enforcement certainly must play its part.”

From the press release:

Since 2000, the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137 percent, including a 200 percent increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (prescription opioid pain relievers and heroin). Drug overdoses are the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, eclipsing deaths from motor vehicle crashes and deaths from firearms. Each day, 78 Americans die of an opioid overdose. This increase mirrors large increases in heroin use across the country and has been shown to be closely tied to opioid pain reliever misuse and dependence. Past misuse of prescription opioids is the strongest risk factor for heroin initiation and use, specifically among persons who report past-year dependence or abuse. The increased availability of heroin, combined with its relatively low price (compared with diverted prescription opioids) and high purity, are major drivers of the upward trend in heroin use and overdose.[1]

Mr. Bharara will host the first educational forum tomorrow, Thursday, October 20, 2016, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at New York University School of Law. Parents, teachers, medical professionals, and members of the public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the urgent challenge of opioid addiction. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP here. The event will be live streamed here: law.nyu.edu/livestream.

A second forum will be held Thursday, December 1, 2016, at Pace Law School in White Plains, New York, and a third forum will be held Thursday, December 8, 2016, at Fordham University in the Bronx, New York. Details concerning these forums will be available on our website www.justice.gov/usao-sdny.

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