It wasn’t that long ago that no one had heard of OxyContin and prescription drug abuse wasn’t viewed as much of a problem. Now It has grown into an epidemic in Appalachia and much of the country.

If we aren’t careful methamphetamine, commonly called crystal meth or crank, will be the new version of this. Just a few years ago Lawrence County had virtually no arrests involving crystal meth. Last year there were several involving meth labs, often in dangerous locations that posed significant public health hazards. A workshop Monday, led by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was time well spent because it helped train home health workers and others who are part of organizations that spend a significant amount of time in people’s homes.

The goal was to educate these individuals about the warning signs and signals to look for to be able to spot a meth lab.

We applaud everyone involved for putting this training on and the attendees for spending the time at this event that can truly help make our community safer.

Proactive steps like this will be key in the fight against drug abuse in our communities.