WVVA TV Bluefield Beckley WV News, Weather and SportsDrug related deaths hit hard in Tazewell County
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The drug rate statistics are staggering in southwest Virginia and in particular, Tazewell County.
Tazewell County had the most number of drug related deaths in Virginia for the 2004-2006 period.
The county had 44 drug related deaths, beating out a much larger Fairfax County.
In western Virginia, more people died from drug overdoses last year than from homicides, house fires, and alcohol-related automobile accidents combined.
Dennis Lee, Commonwealth's Attorney says, "We've had an epidemic that's sort of gone under the radar with overdose deaths that have occurred in southwest Virginia, as well as south West Virginia. And the overdose rates for this area, as a whole, are many many times what the state average is."
Prescription drugs have been a problem in the area for a long time.
Lee adds, "But now the drugs that are being used are so much more dangerous. They are so much more powerful that we have a whole generation of people, young people primarily, who are experimenting. They become addicted and end up as one of these statistics."
Along with the human tragedy, the drug problem is a financial drain on everything from the County Jail to Social Services.
Last year, it cost the department around 2.5 million dollars.
Rex Tester, Director of Social Services in Tazewell County explains, "In Tazewell County, we've seen approximately 60 percent of the kids in our care are there because their parents have an issue with substance abuse, mainly prescription medications."
The community is coming together now to fight this epidemic.
Lee said, "We've been extremely happy to see local churches and community organizations really step forward and start to address the drug problem. I don't think there is a family in southwest Virginia, particularly in Tazewell County that has not been affected by the problem."
Another concern for the county is the fact that the Day Report Center was closed due to budget cuts.
The center was a probation program providing free resources to get people back on the right track and out of the jail system.
County officials are going to meet with legislators about funding for the future.
