Charleston Leader

In a recent op-ed published in the Charleston Gazette-Mail, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito discussed West Virginia's ongoing efforts to combat opioid abuse. The piece follows the West Virginia Opioid Summit hosted by Senator Capito on November 15th.

Senator Capito emphasized the state's history of resilience and highlighted successful strategies that have emerged since an initial summit in April 2015. She stated, "We’ve learned that the most impactful solutions are those that come from the ground up, instead of the one-size-fits-all approaches from Washington."

The recent summit in Dunbar brought together community leaders, health professionals, law enforcement officers, and addiction experts to discuss various approaches to tackling the crisis. Despite a national decrease in overdose fatalities this year, West Virginia continues to have the highest rate of opioid-related deaths.

Fentanyl remains a significant challenge in West Virginia. According to preliminary data from the West Virginia Health Statistics Center, fentanyl was involved in approximately 82% of all drug overdose deaths in 2023.

Senator Capito expressed optimism about progress being made and stressed the importance of collaboration: "If we are all on the same page...we can save lives." She also highlighted federal initiatives like the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program and advocated for increased access to life-saving medications such as Naloxone.

The senator concluded by reaffirming her commitment to legislative solutions aimed at strengthening efforts against opioid abuse: "There is still much work to be done, but I believe in West Virginia."