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SCRANTON — As part of a statewide initiative to combat the growing opioid epidemic in Pennsylvania, the “Lock ‘Em Up” initiative is making its way through Lackawanna and Luzerne counties.

State Rep. Karen Boback, along with Lackawanna County District Attorney Shane Scanlon, Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne, President Judge of Lackawanna County Michael J. Barrasse and Director Lackawanna/Susquehanna Counties Drug and Alcohol Program Bo Hoban spoke about the opioid crisis facing the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on Wednesday at the Lackawanna County Courthouse.

“Lock ‘Em Up,” which is inspired by Boback’s October 2016 statewide initiative, aims to educate people on making sure prescription drugs stay out of reach of those who might abuse them.

After the success of statewide “Lock ‘Em Up” day, held on Oct. 19, 2016, Boback decided to bring the initiative into the counties she represents: Wyoming, Lackawanna and Luzerne.

In 2015, 3,500 Pennsylvanians died from opioid overdoses, according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council.

“We need to tackle this epidemic,” Boback said.

According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 53 percent of people who used prescription medications for unintended purposes get them from a relative of friend, Boback said.

“That’s why it’s incredibly important we tell everyone to lock up their prescription drugs,” she said. “The root (of the epidemic) is in our medicine cabinets.”

Secretary of Aging Teresa Osborne talked about the role older residents play in the abuse of opioids.

Osborne said she held a roundtable at a senior center in West Scranton in the morning talking with seniors about their fights with addiction and having medication stolen by family members.

“This crisis has touched and impacted many Pennsylvania families,” Osborne said.

The Department of Aging is working “in tandem” with law enforcement across the state to “ensure that older Pennsylvanians are aware of and educated about” opioid addiction.

“Substance abuse and addiction exists in the elderly population,” Osborne said.

Lackawanna County District Attorney Shane Scanlon echoed Boback, stressing the need to deal with the “disease of addiction,” and the spike in overdoses in the area over the past few years.

“We’re dealing with this epidemic on a daily basis,” Scanlon said.

Lackawanna County is on track to have 100 overdose deaths on record for 2016.

“It’s terrifying,” he said.

Similarly, Luzerne County recently made national headlines for the county’s own spike in opioid-related deaths, which totaled 139 fatal overdoses in Luzerne County for 2016.

Scanlon said he was glad Boback brought the initiative to Lackawanna County, and stated Lackawanna and Luzerne counties are linked in the fight against opioid abuse.

“We’re neighbors in this fight,” Scanlon said. “Let’s work toward eradicating this epidemic.”

Boback will be sponsoring a “Lock ‘Em Up” event at the Luzerne County Courthouse at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 27.

Boback
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By Brigid Edmunds

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