Summit County needs more accessible drug treatment options, and the stigma of addiction must be toppled.
Those were the opinions of many of the 450 people who attended a Thursday night community forum hosted by the Akron Beacon Journal at the John S. Knight Center.
Attendees were asked to fill out comment cards suggesting solutions to the region’s heroin epidemic. The Beacon Journal intends to use the cards to produce stories and contact members of the community for comment on various topics.
The cards revealed the majority of attendees were addicts themselves, or they were the friends and family of addicts.
In terms of solutions, most pointed to education and treatment. Others suggested decriminalizing drugs, changing law enforcement tactics, securing borders to control drug flow, embracing religion and increasing government funding.
It’s not too late to get involved.
Email your ideas to editor@thebeaconjournal.com. Be sure to include your name, cellphone number and connection to the heroin crisis.