Rural Communities Look at Ways to Fight Opioid Abuse

(Spring 2016) U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was appointed to spearhead a new strategy to curtail the growing rise in heroin and prescription drug abuse in rural areas of the nation. Among other causal factors, the National Association of Counties executive director Matt Chase suggests that lack of economic opportunity due to increased automation and an unskilled workforce contributes to the rise.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are calling for the establishment of more needle exchange programs in rural and suburban areas because of an upswing in addiction rates outside urban areas. New, sterile needles lower the risk of contracting or spreading HIV and Hepatitis C among intravenous drug abusers.

A CDC study found that 69% of U.S. needle exchange programs are in cities, while 20% are in rural regions, and 9% are located in suburban settings. Naloxone, an opioid overdose antidote, is offered in 61% of urban programs, compared with only 37% at rural sites.

A needle exchange program established in Indiana due to a recent HIV outbreak has resulted in a marked decrease in needle sharing. Last March, Indiana Governor Mike Pence instituted a public health emergency as his state combatted the HIV problem. He gave the nod to a short-term program in one county for needle exchange. In May 2015, Pence approved a measure enlarging the initiative, permitting areas in Indiana with health emergencies to establish needle exchanges as necessary.

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