Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, along with the Arkansas Office of the Drug Director, Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy and the Criminal Justice Institute, a division of the University of Arkansas System, hosted the fifth annual Arkansas Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Summit at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock last week.
The Summit serves as a free training and educational opportunity for law enforcement officers, medical professionals, pharmacists and educators, and gives an opportunity to hear from experts regarding prescription drug abuse prevention and treatment.
“It seems that almost daily I hear another tragic story of someone losing a loved one to prescription drug abuse,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “This growing epidemic is taking far too many lives, many of them young adults, which is why this Summit is critically important as it brings together law enforcement, health care professionals and educators to collaborate about how this problem is solved. No one person can do it alone. It is going to take all of us, which is why I am thankful that my colleague from Wisconsin, Attorney General Schimel, has joined us today to share how his State is fighting this menace and seeing success.”
“No state, community or family is immune from the devastating effects of our nation’s prescription opioid abuse and heroin epidemic,” said Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel. “The surge in drug abuse over the last decade has caused spikes in all types of crimes, including armed robbery and human trafficking, and is responsible for the deaths of far too many of our friends and neighbors. In Wisconsin, we owe the success of our prescription drug abuse prevention campaign, Dose of Reality, to a multi-disciplinary team of law enforcement, legislative, public health, medical and public policy leaders who have dedicated time and resources to ending this scourge. And it’s clear, from the proactive measures and comprehensive plans that have been developed under Attorney General Rutledge’s leadership, the same types of comradery and shared vision for a drug-free society exists in Arkansas.”
The all-day Summit began with breakout sessions to discuss resources available in Arkansas for prescription drug abuse prevention and treatment and included a presentation from Michael K. Gottlieb on the growing opioid epidemic. Gottlieb is the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program director in the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Rutledge hosted the luncheon, which included the keynote address from Schimel, who is serving his first term as Wisconsin’s Attorney General. A prosecutor who was first elected Waukesha County District Attorney in 2006, Schimel aims to continue the fight against heroin, human traffickers, domestic violence and internet predators. Last year, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, led by Schimel, launched its DOSE OF REALITY: Prevent Prescription Painkiller Abuse in Wisconsin public awareness, education and prevention effort, along with partners from across the State to communicate the risks and dangers of improper painkiller use, storage and disposal and get Wisconsin residents to take action.
The afternoon session included a presentation from Dr. Amy Hawes, Knox County, Tenn., medical examiner, on how medical examiners and coroners can help fight this crisis and a presentation from Stephanie Siete, director of public relations for Community Bridges Inc., on the risks associated with vaping and identifying the newest forms of marijuana.
In addition to the Attorney General’s office, the Summit is sponsored by the Arkansas Alcohol Drug Coordinating Council, Arkansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas Department of Human Services, Division of Behavioral Health, Arkansas Medical Board, Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Program, Arkansas Nursing Board, Arkansas Prevention Network, Arkansas Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI National Academy – Arkansas Chapter, Gulf Coast HIDTA, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Foundation, University of Arkansas at Little Rock MidSOUTH Center for Prevention and Training, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.