The scourge of heroin overdoses and related deaths has risen nationally in recent years. The epidemic of drug abuse was even an important topic in New Hampshire during the presidential primary elections, as that state has seen a 75 percent increase in overdose deaths. Ohio has also been hit particularly hard, with many people in the state personally affected.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ohio is one of only fourteen states that saw a “statistically significant” increase in the number of drug overdose deaths from 2013 to 2014. Locally, counties in Ohio’s seventh congressional district are seeing spikes in overdoses. Richland County alone will have at least 39 overdose deaths in 2015.