As threats to Ohio’s youth from drugs evolve and change, legislators and local law enforcement are looking to adapt to meet that threat.
A bipartisan-backed House Bill passed earlier this month 95-1 and is currently to be assigned to a Ohio Senate committee.
“It's important to … educate kids about the dangers of opiates, especially those that can be found in medicine cabinets,” State Sen. Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, said of House Bill 367. “I think the legislation seems to be a good step in the right direction.”
The bill would install education on the dangers of prescription opiate abuse and its connection to heroin use into schools’ health classes.
“As much as a heroin epidemic we have, we also have a serious problem with prescription medication,” Gentile, whose district partly includes Athens, said.
Both Gov. John Kasich and Attorney General Mike DeWine have made reducing drug addiction a priority.
Kasich has yet to take a position on the bill, but did say the governor will be keeping an eye on it, said Rob Nichols, the governor’s spokesman.
“We need all oars in the water in the war against opiates and we’ll continue to follow (the bill),” Nichols said.
Though DeWine’s office has taken a firm stance against prescription drug abuse, including combatting the state’s drug issue through “education,” the Attorney General has not taken a position on the bill, DeWine spokesman Dan Tierney said.
But for those already involved in the fight against drug abuse, such as officers in the DARE program, not much may change for them.
Drug education, which in the past was done by local police departments, would now be at least partially deferred to the schools should this bill become law.
“Someone’s gotta teach young people what the dangers are and a lot of young people aren’t getting it at home,” said Athens Police Officer Patrolman Rick Crossen, who serves on the board of directors for DARE’s district five.
DARE, which used to focus on primarily violence and drug-use prevention, now aims to teach students how to make good decisions amid pressure from peers.
“People that are in the news using stuff, abusing stuff … a lot of the music deals with it,” Crossen said. “It kind of comes back to this social element where it puts out that it’s safe; it’s okay.”
@lucasdaprile
ld311710@ohiou.edu
This article originally appeared in print under the headline "Bill may add drug education to K-12."
