The opioid crisis is worsening in Lexington, according to a recovery advocate.
The Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center states, that in 2022, 2,133 Kentucky residents died from a drug overdose, with 77.7% of those deaths involving opioids.
University of Kentucky Assistant Extension Professor for Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, Alex Elswick, says the problem is only getting worse.
“I don’t think that as overdose fatalities have continued to increase we have seen a commensurate increase in concern,” Elswick said. “Really what we have is a deadly overdose epidemic.”
Elswick joined Campus Voices to discuss how to combat the opioid crisis and his personal journey through long-term recovery.
Listen to the full interview above.
This segment was produced in collaboration with UK’s School of Journalism and Media.