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McConnell Discusses Kentucky's Drug Problem

Drug Treatment

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell says he’s looking forward to working with the nation’s new drug czar to combat narcotics abuse in Kentucky.

On Monday (Feb. 9), the Senate confirmed President Obama’s nominee, Michael Botticelli, to the post. The Republican McConnell says there’s much to be done across the bluegrass.

“Kentucky is the fifth highest prescribing state when it comes to painkillers, and we have the nation’s third highest drug overdose mortality rate, with many deaths driven by prescription painkillers.” –Mitch McConnell

McConnell says nearly a third of those drug overdose deaths in 2013 were attributed to heroin. He says that’s a growing problem across Kentucky, as well.

McConnell says a thousand Kentuckians die each year from drug overdoses, and that’s more than are killed in traffic accidents.

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