Ohio’s Lt. Governor speaks on opiate epidemic

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – Ohio’s Lieutenant Governor, Mary Taylor, made a swing through Zanesville Wednesday to talk with several local businesses.

Lt. Gov. Taylor was talking about the growing opiate problem in the state. She said that this is the worst the opiate epidemic has ever been. Lt. Gov. Taylor said the state government is trying many tactics to combat the rise.

“We cracked down on pill mills, for example,” said Lt. Gov. Taylor. “Shutting down doctors who their sole purpose in being in existence was to write prescriptions for opiates. Cracking down on the dealers. Because of the work that we have done there are 81 million fewer opiates on the streets today.”

In addition to speaking with WHIZ, Lt. Gov. Taylor also spoke Wednesday at Zane State, Bryan Place, and Muskingum Behavioral Health. Lt. Gov. Taylor said in her travels around Ohio she has found that this is a problem that is found in every neighborhood.

“This issue is wide spread and in every demographic. Rarely am I in a room, and if I ask for people to raise a hand, there is someone that is going to raise their hand, and often times it’s more than one person,” said Lt. Gov. Taylor.

Lt. Gov. Taylor also said she and her administration fully support the use of the overdose drug ‘Naloxone’ and they are working to get it into the hands of more people.