U.S. Drug-Overdose Deaths Soared Nearly 30% in 2020, Driven by Synthetic Opioids
Drug-overdose deaths in the U.S. surged nearly 30% in 2020, the result of a deadlier supply and the destabilizing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to preliminary federal data and public health officials. The estimated 93,331 deaths from drug overdoses last year, a record high, represent the sharpest annual increase in at least three decades, and […]
Reported proposed cuts to federal program could hurt Harrison County
The White House is reportedly considering making a 94% cut to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. That would include the elimination of the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, which is vital to Harrison County. The HIDTA program coordinates federal, state, and local agencies in the fight against drug trafficking. Harrison County received its […]
Proposed federal cut could stymie local law enforcement
The Oneida County Sheriff’s Office has asked the federal government to designate the county a high intensity drug trafficking area, a designation known by the acronym HIDTA. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has thrown his weight behind the application, pushing for approval before proposed federal budget cuts imperil the program’s expansion. It’s crucial to get […]
UPDATE: Local reaction to efforts to get Wood County drug trafficking designation
A Spokesperson for Congressman David McKinley says West Virginia officials should know within 2-3 months whether the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy will grant a request designating Wood County a “High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area”. If so granted, it means Wood County would get federal support, including funding, to help combat drug […]