Chad Abshire

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON — Prescription drug abuse continues to be one of the most prevalent issues in Appalachia, seemingly affecting every facet throughout the area.

The Strong Through Our Plan (STOP) Coalition will hold an open forum town hall meeting 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, at Williamson City Hall to discuss these issues, get feedback from the community and talk about how to move forward in the fight against prescription drug abuse.

West Virginia leads the nation in overdose deaths per capita, and it’s estimated that approximately 150,000 citizens need treatment for substance abuse problems. Mingo County is ranked seventh out of the state’s 55 counties in overdose deaths caused by prescription drugs, falling from the number two spot in years prior.

STOP also plans on hosting three more town hall meetings in the upcoming months to discuss underage drinking, synthetic drugs, such as K2 or bath salts, and drug-endangered pregnancies.

Everyone is welcome and invited to attend the upcoming meeting as well as future ones.

The series of meetings is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau for Behavior Health and Health Facilities.

For more information, visit www.drugfreemingo.org, email Assistant Director Joshua Murphy at stop.joshmurphy@gmail.com or call (304) 664-3986.