In Wednesday’s edition of The News, reporter Crystal Nelson detailed a presentation to the Association of Lifelong Learners by the head of pharmacy at MidMichigan Medical Center-Alpena.

In that presentation, Laura Caplis told the Lifelong Learners members that, in 2017, Alpena County pharmacies received113 opioid prescriptions per 100 residents of the county, a slight improvement from 2013 figures but still among the seven Michigan counties with the highest prescription rates. Otsego County had the highest rate, at 143.2 per 100 people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alpena County’s numbers could be skewed, somewhat, because it is the main population hub in the region and home to the hospital, so Alpena pharmacies are filling prescriptions for folks who live in neighboring counties.

Still, the numbers are staggering and reveal that our area likely struggles more than most with opioid addiction, a serious problem that, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, killed 2,729 Michiganders in 2017, a 17-fold increase from 1999.

Caplis also detailed changes to state law meant to prevent overprescribing of the drugs, placing more checks and balances on doctors who write the prescriptions and the pharmacies that fill them.

Those are important changes, but the ultimate responsibility for preventing opioid abuse falls on those who are prescribed the pills and their loved ones.

If you or a loved one are struggling with opioid addiction, we urge you to seek help. Call 1-800-662-4357 or visit Michigan.gov/opioids for more information.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)