Tomorrow marks the beginning of my Jesse James adventure--Part 1. When researching Huntington, West Virginia, one of the first articles I came across was about how Huntington is the drug death capital of the U.S. and how heroin impacts almost everyone in the community. 1 in 4 residents is hooked. 1 in 10 babies is born suffering withdrawal symptoms. Victims range in age from 18-59. A new catch phrase has emerged in the community--Narcanned--after a brand name for the opioid blocker that reverses overdoes. As in--how many times have you been narcanned?" It's not uncommon for an addict to say 3, 4 or 5 times. The mayor never knows who might overdose, so he carries a naloxone injector everywhere he goes.
What accounts for the large number of addicts? Crumbling economy that caused the factories and coal mines to close down. A scarcity of jobs. Loss of 50 percent of the residents.
What's the solution? The Mayor in Ithaca, New York has opened a free injection center with the hope that there will be fewer overdoes and less contaminated product. I'm not sure how that helps people get treatment, but it will be interesting to see if this model is successful.
Tomorrow I am focusing on filming at the site of the bank that Jesse James robbed..
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| Ohio River |
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