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President Barack Obama speaks in Charleston Wednesday about West Virginia’s epidemic of prescription drug and heroin abuse.Obama also listens to parents, health and law enforcement issues about their struggles with drug abuse. He also discusses his proposal to increase addiction treatment funding by $133 million.
Read Now: President Obama Announces New Federal Drug Policies
Updated 3:52 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President now shaking hands with crowd. pic.twitter.com/cAmtvslt5c
— Ashton Marra (@AshtonMarra) October 21, 2015
Updated 3:50 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama wraps up the town hall meeting by commending local law enforcement and the parents involved in today’s discussion.
@barackobama just wrapped up a community discussion on drug addiction. Visit wvpublic.org for an archived stream and more coverage later in the day. A photo posted by West Virginia Public News (@wvpublicnews) on Oct 21, 2015 at 12:48pm PDT
Updated 3:40 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
"Income and race make a different. The truth of the matter is poor communities are more vulnerable."- @POTUS Live https://t.co/VBZt1W9Gdg
— WVPB News (@wvpublicnews) October 21, 2015
Updated 3:30 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama:
“For a long time our goal has been to deal with supply side. And we’re not backing off of that.”
“We were under investing in the demand side with the prevention and treatment that’s so necessary.”
He says they’re proposing an additional $133 million in enhanced treatment programs.
.@POTUS – aggressive law enforcement efforts must be linked with increased investment in prevention and treatment. pic.twitter.com/iYMZ73eBuQ
— Steve Williams (@HuntingtonMayor) October 21, 2015
"We are going to have to build and fund more treatment centers."- President #Obama, during today's community discussion about drug abuse.
— WVPB News (@wvpublicnews) October 21, 2015
Updated 3:20 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
.@CharlestonPDWV Chief Brent Webster "This is such an epidemic and we cannot arrest ourselves out of this."
— Dave Mistich (@davemistich) October 21, 2015
Updated 3:15 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
Dr. Michael Brumage is Executive Director and Health Officer for the Kanawha-Charleston Health Dept. He’s been on the job 79 days. Says he knew mountaineers would take this challenge head-on because that’s the kind of people that are in the state.
The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department will begin their own harm reduction program in Charleston in about 6 weeks, following the lead of the Cabell-Huntington Health Department.
Requires collaborative approach to be able to fix things.
Updated 3:10 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
Cary Dixon is the mother of a recovering addict. She spoke for families that deal with an addicted family member. When they realize their family members are going through this there is initially embarrassment. Relieved at first when family members want treatment, but disappointed when they have to wait to get into treatment. She says they sleep better at night knowing children are incarcerated. She’s laid awake at night planning his funeral.
The full panel for President Obama's community center meeting on drug abuse. A photo posted by WMUL (@wmul_radio) on Oct 21, 2015 at 12:05pm PDT
Updated 3:00 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama:
“In 2012 259 million pain medicine prescriptions were written. Enough for every adult.”
“Four in five heroin users started out misusing prescription drugs.”
“Addiction can happen to a coal miner, construction worker, a cop who takes it for a work related injury or a doctor who writes the prescription.”
“We can’t fight this without eliminating stigma.”
Obama says rather than spending more money on putting addicts in jail, we can use the money to help them and use the savings on getting those that are supplying the drugs put away.
“This is an illness and we have to treat it as such.”
Obama mentions policy changes outlined in memorandum released this morning.
Obama says the goal today is realize this is happening to families all over the country. He says it’s happening in every neighborhood in the country. He says the goal is to shine a spotlight on the subject and hopefully get each person in attendance to do something about it when they leave.
Updated 2:45 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama introduced to packed East End Family Resource Center.
Updated 2:30 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama has arrived at the East End Family Resource Center. Senator Joe Manchin to introduce the topic.
Senator Joe Manchin:
“We have an epidemic that we haven’t done anything about.”
“Until we look at drug use as an illness more than a crime, we’re never going to cure it.”
President #Obama arrives in Charleston on Wednesday afternoon for a community forum on heroin and prescription drug abuse. #wvgazettemail photo by Christian Tyler Randolph. A photo posted by Charleston Gazette-Mail (@wvgazettemail) on Oct 21, 2015 at 12:00pm PDT
Updated 2:08 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama has exited Air Force One and is now headed to the East End.
#potus Presidential motorcade on the East End of Charleston. #obama #presidentobama A video posted by Mark Wolfe (@markwolfedesign) on Oct 21, 2015 at 11:50am PDT
.@POTUS and @Sen_JoeManchin exiting Air Force One in Charleston #ObamaInWV pic.twitter.com/zkOapVwVJe
— Eyewitness News (@wchs8fox11) October 21, 2015
Updated 1:54 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
As the public waits for the arrival of President Barack Obama…
The crowd gathering for @BarackObama's visit to #cwv. At the intersection of Washington and Ruffner. pic.twitter.com/zLhZxgSwKL
— Dave Mistich (@davemistich) October 21, 2015
He’s tweeting about the epidemic from Air Force One.
120 Americans die every day from drug overdoses – most involving legal prescription drugs. That's more than from car crashes.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) October 21, 2015
Updated 1:10 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Barack Obama is aboard Air Force One on the way to Charleston, where things are already set up at Yeager Airport.
President Obama's entourage is lining up for his arrival. Air Force One is expected to land around 1:35. #ObamaInWV pic.twitter.com/uRaio1guPI
— Hillary Kemerer (@HillaryKemerer) October 21, 2015
Updated 12:50 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
Crowd starting to fill in empty seats at the Roosevelt Community Center for @BarackObama event scheduled for 2:20. pic.twitter.com/8hmgJFATiX
— Ashton Marra (@AshtonMarra) October 21, 2015
On site for presidential visit. pic.twitter.com/RfJ9FhOaNM
— Beth Vorhees (@BethVorhees) October 21, 2015
Updated 12:22 p.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
Two hours before President Obama will be in Charleston’s East End, it’s already getting busy.
We are still two hours away from showtime, but it's a pretty calm scene along Ruffner before @BarackObama's visit. pic.twitter.com/sVmf57dm17
— Dave Mistich (@davemistich) October 21, 2015
Updated: 10:03 a.m. Wednesday October 21, 2015
President Obama issues memorandum on prescription drug abuse and heroin use.
These only apply to federal agencies, not private doctors or insurance plans, but the White House hopes to set an example.
For the full memorandum visit link below:
