The state of Ohio will benefit from a grant of $5 million dollars. This money will be used to fund opiate detox programs in the state. The money comes from a federal spending bill that was approved by Congress back in August. According to Ohio governor Ted Strickland, counties across Ohio will be able to continue opiate detox and treatment programs and fight prescription drug addiction. The money will be divided in the counties with the highest level of deaths from opiate abuse.
"An average of four Ohioans die each day from an unintentional drug overdose," Dr. Alvin D. Jackson, director of theOhio Department of Health and vice chairman of Ohio's prescription drug task force. "These funds will help prevent future overdoses by providing drug abusers with access to critical treatment services."
The money is welcomed at a time when prescription drug abuse is skyrocketing across the country. Opiate detox is an important component of drug treatment, but can often cost $10,000 per person.
