The Martin-Tyrrell-Washington District Health Department and the Project Lazarus Organization will host a Community Forum in Martin, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties on September 10 from 12 to 2 pm at the Vernon James Center in Roper to address prescription drug abuse.

The forum will focus on issues surrounding prescription drugs, addiction to pain medication, and access to appropriate chronic pain care.

Project Lazarus is a public health non-profit organization established in 2008 in response to extremely high drug overdose death rates in Wilkes County, North Carolina (four times higher than the state average). In 2007, Wilkes County had the third highest drug overdose death rate in the nation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Having expanded statewide in partnership with Community Care of North Carolina, we use our successful experience, data, and compassion to empower communities and individuals to prevent drug overdoses and meet the needs of those living with chronic pain. Project Lazarus enables overdose prevention by providing technical assistance to create and maintain community coalitions, and help them create locally tailored drug overdose prevention programs, and connect them to state and national resources,” reads information on the organization’s website.

“We are hoping to continue to raise awareness about this concern which is quite prevalent in all three of our counties. The meeting on September 10 will begin with a brief overview of the program to catch any new participants up. Then we will divide into working groups based upon our areas of expertise. These might include law enforcement, schools, fire/rescue/ems, and community groups. Then we can begin developing “next steps”-what can we do to address this problem-what services can we bring to the table, and what services are needed to help address this growing problem,” said Vickey Manning, an official with the Martin-Tyrrell-Washington District Health Department.

 Since the last meeting, the Tyrrell County Sheriff’s Office has a drop off box in which citizens of Tyrrell County are encouraged to drop old or unused medication.

“This includes over the counter as well as prescription medication so that it can be disposed of properly. Then it can’t be left for someone that does not need to have it, like young kids and drug seekers. There is a drop off box in Washington County at the Police Department as well,” said Manning.

 Manning noted that the prescription drug box at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office has been emptied three times since mid to late fall 2013.  Officials there have destroyed over 34,000 pills, both controlled and over the counter.