Call to Action
In 2013, over 249,000,000 prescriptions for opioids were written - enough for every adult in America to have a bottle of pills.
In the 2015 Washington State Drug Injector Health Survey, 57% of respondents reported using prescription-type opiates prior to using heroin, and a large number of those did so in their 30s. In Skagit County, 53% reported that they were “hooked on” prescription opiates before they began using heroin. Read the Call to Action.
Opioid Workgroup Leadership Team 2016 Summary Report and Recommendations
A public health crisis has hit our nation and our local community. Opioid-related deaths have now surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of accidental death. Former President Obama, the US Surgeon General and Governor Inslee have called for funding, policy development, planning, education and action to turn the tide. Skagit County has taken this moment, and the momentum created by national and state leadership, to analyze, collaborate and ultimately solidify a team of community leaders dedicated to taking steps to address this epidemic. Read the Report.
