The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Monday announced $13.4 million in funds to fight the rise of heroin abuse and trafficking.
A portion of the funds, $2.5 million, will fund the Heroin Response Strategy, an unprecedented partnership between the five existing regional High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas.
The strategy will increase the impact of funding by fostering collaboration between federal, state and local drug enforcement officers across 15 states.
Locally, the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area will receive nearly $400,000 for drug prevention initiatives in West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia.
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., along with Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va., applauded this appropriation, which will target much-needed drug prevention initiatives in West Virginia.
“The health and safety of our families and communities in West Virginia depend on ending the drug abuse epidemic,” said Manchin. “Not only must we continue to combat the prescription drug problem, but we also must face the growing number of heroin overdoses and drug trafficking cases.
“This program will foster an important partnership between 15 states that are being devastated by the rising heroin epidemic, and it will tackle the problem from every angle. I will continue to do everything in my power to aggressively curb these trends in our state, and that includes making sure our law enforcement officers in high risk communities have the necessary federal resources to address drug trafficking and abuse.”
Rep. Jenkins said this additional funding will help expand the regional programs’ reach and prevent the spread of drugs into local communities.
“Communities across West Virginia and the nation have been ravaged by heroin and opioid abuse, touching nearly every family. We must work together to find solutions to treat addition and stop drug trafficking, and HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas) is a critical tool in stopping the drug trade,” he said.
Sen. Capito said she has been working directly with Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Michael Botticelli for steps that will benefit West Virginian families who have been devastated by drug addiction.
“The Heroin Response Strategy — the first program of its kind in our region — will give local law enforcement and health officials the ability to work together across state and local lines to curb trafficking and improve treatment and prevention. While we still have a long road ahead, I am encouraged that we are making meaningful strides toward a drug-free West Virginia,” she said.
Director Botticelli commented, “The new Heroin Response Strategy demonstrates a strong commitment to address the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic as both a public health and a public safety issue. This administration will continue to expand community-based efforts to prevent drug use, pursue ‘smart on crime’ approaches to drug enforcement, increase access to treatment, work to reduce overdose deaths, and support the millions of Americans in recovery.”
Eighteen counties in West Virginia are currently designated part of the Appalachian High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area: Boone, Berkeley, Brooke, Cabell, Hancock, Harrison, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Ohio, Putnam, Raleigh, Wayne and Wyoming.
In addition to the Appalachian regions, other regional programs are New England, Philadelphia/Camden, New York/New Jersey, and Washington/Baltimore.