Husted talks job growth, opioid epidemic on Zanesville stop

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The 2018 gubernatorial race is underway and one candidate made a stop in Zanesville to address supporters.

Secretary of State Jon Husted stopped by American Pride on McIntire for a meet-and-greet with supporters. Senator Troy Balderson introduced Husted giving his full support to the candidate.

“I am endorsing for governor Secretary of State Jon Husted and I just wanted to make sure Muskingum County knew that I was endorsing him,” said Senator Balderson. “And I would like to have all of the support possible to get the next governor be Secretary of State Jon Husted.”

Secretary Husted then addressed the crowd speaking on the importance of creating jobs and promoting job growth in the state of Ohio.

“I not only want to help the oil and gas industry as they grow in southeastern Ohio, I also want to make sure we’re helping to create jobs from the natural resources that they’re taking out of the ground converting them to products, downstream products, that create manufacturing jobs, that create processing jobs, that really are the high paying jobs”

Secretary Husted also addressed the opioid epidemic that has wreaked havoc in Ohio. 

“Ohio is number one in the nation in opioid deaths. If we were number one in the nation in job creation and education we would not be number one in opioid deaths because we’d be giving people more hope, more opportunity, and better things would happen in their lives.”

Secretary Husted also touched on the new regulations placed on doctors to help prevent overprescribing of opioids.

“One thing I’ve been advocating for for a long time that’s finally happening in Ohio is that we follow the C-D-C guidelines to limit doctors prescribing opioids to seven days so there will be no more prescriptions beyond seven days because at ten eleven days you can start to become addicted.”