HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A community conversation at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena invited residents to learn what is being done to address drug crimes, addiction and neighborhood safety.
The meeting came after Mayor Steve Williams released what he called appalling statistics about the rate of drug overdoses in his city.
Williams said Tuesday that at the current pace, there will be more than 700 overdoses in Huntington during 2015. According to the Mayor’s Office of Drug Control Policy, there have been more than 200 overdoses in Cabell County as of April 6. Some 24 of those have been fatal, which means the city is on pace for 90 deaths this year.
Cabell County is on pace for six times the national average of drug overdoses deaths.
According to city officials, the youngest overdose patient was 12 years old.