Pike County fentanyl awareness campaign kicks off
Milford. Those in need of resources can visit the campaign website for more information.
Milford /
| 26 Dec 2023 | 03:05
L-R: Commissioner Tony Waldron, Shannon Wisniewski, Commissioner Matthew Osterberg, and Pike County District Attorney Raymond Tonkin.
As mentioned at last week’s Pike County Commissioners meeting, Pike County, along with the counties of Carbon and Monroe, have banded together to combat the fentanyl crisis locally. This tri-county public awareness campaign will be aimed at teens, young adults, and the senior population. The tagline of the campaign is “Fentanyl Stops Here.”
The organizers plan to use billboards, social media, and various presentations to educate the community about the dangers of fentanyl, and increase awareness about the resources and services available within the county, such as access to Narcan, trainings, drug disposal programs, and drug and alcohol treatment programs.
According to Shannon Wisniewski, Milford outpatient supervisor for the Carbon, Monroe, Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission Inc., Pike County has experienced 51 overdose-related deaths. Of those deaths, fentanyl was attributed to approximately 92%.
More information on this campaign, as well as resources, can be found at wefightfentanyl.org. Residents can sign up for the monthly newsletter to stay up to date on trainings, events, Narcan distribution locations, and more. The campaign will also be extended to digital channels including Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Pike County was among the first counties in Pennsylvania to file a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers for their role in the nationwide epidemic. As a result of the litigation, Pike County was part of a settlement in the Commonwealth resulting in an anticipated annual allocation of funds over 18 years. Monies from this litigation will be used to pay for the public awareness campaign.