WKSU News is examining the opioid epidemic with the series Opioids: Turning the Tide in the Crisis. Stories are heard Tuesdays during WKSU’s local broadcast of NPR’s Morning Edition in the 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. hours.
“This opioid series is the natural outgrowth of reporting the news staff has already done,” says WKSU News Director Andrew Meyer. “The widespread epidemic will continue to be a priority for coverage as long as these drugs touch so many lives in Northeast Ohio.”
Opioids: Turning the Tide in the Crisis is intended to be a good starting point for listeners trying to understand the deluge of information being presented on this challenging health crisis. Along with previously aired reports, the series webpage offers an interactive timeline of the history of opioids in the United States and Ohio and a FAQ, which is a dynamic document to be updated during the project and beyond.
Remaining segments in the series include:
- Opioids and the Responsibility of the Medical Community, by Kevin Niedermier, to be aired Feb. 14.
- The Challenge of Staying Clean, by Amanda Rabinowitz, to be aired Feb. 21.
- Changing Education’s Response: Stopping the Problem Before It Starts, by Kabir Bhatia, to be aired Feb. 28.
- Opioids: Changing the Definition of the Problem, by M.L. Schultze, to be aired March 7.
Support for Opioids: Turning the Tide in the Crisis comes from Wayne Savings Community Bank, Hometown Grocery Delivery, Mercy Medical Center, AxessPointe Community Health Center, Community Support Services Inc. and Medina County District Library. Updates and additional information on the series will be posted on Twitter @WKSU and WKSU’s Facebook page.
Find further coverage of addiction in the most recent issue of Kent State Magazine.