Surrounded by law enforcement and health officials on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Booth Goodwin held a naloxone nasal spray bottle up to his face.
"Basically what you do is you put half of this vial up one nostril, the other up the other nostril," said Goodwin as he demonstrated the motions required to administer the medicine, which is used to counter the effects of a heroin or painkiller overdose. "The idea is ... to get these folks breathing. That's what happens in an acute overdose situation."
Goodwin led a discussion Tuesday to address what's being done to combat the statewide epidemic of opiate addiction. He was joined at the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department by its health officer and director Dr. Michael Brumage, Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster, Kanawha Chief Deputy Mike Rutherford and DEA resident agent in charge Suzan Williamson, among other officials.
"I think it's well known to the community that we face a real crisis, but today what I wanted to do is talk about the bright spots - things that are happening to really strike at the root of this problem and to continue us on a path to tackle this problem," Goodwin said. "We want to demonstrate that we are together in this fight. We are devoted to turning the tide and it is a very critical issue but it is something that we can tackle. It's especially something we can tackle here in West Virginia."
One of the ways the state is tackling the opioid problem is with the potentially life-saving drug naloxone, Goodwin said.
He applauded the West Virginia Legislature's action earlier this year to allow police, firefighters, friends and family members to administer naloxone, and says it gives officials a chance to intervene in an addict's life. Previously, only paramedics, doctors and other medical professionals could legally administer the medication.
Capt. Mark Strickland of the Charleston Fire Department said that because fire trucks are staffed with firefighters who are also trained paramedics, the department has used naloxone for the past 20 years.
"In the last five years there's been a huge spike," Strickland said, before recalling a time the department didn't need to keep the medicine in stock. The department now administers naloxone daily, he said.
Webster said Tuesday that Charleston police are in the process of being trained to administer the medicine, and Kanawha deputies received naloxone training about two weeks ago.
"It's expensive ... time consuming, but if it saves a life that's all that counts," Rutherford said.
Saving lives is also the goal of the Law Enforcement Addiction Diversion program, or LEAD, which Goodwin said allows an addict who is selling drugs to feed his or her habit to get help, instead of being prosecuted and possibly sentenced to prison.
"We're not going to let up on the supply side of this fight, it will carry on," Goodwin said. "We intend to remain vigilant and tough on individuals who would bring in either heroin or prescription drugs into our communities. That's not going to stop. ... If anything, we're going to get tougher and I want to make that very clear.
"But, as I've realized, and the folks around this table have realized, just tackling the supply side of this issue, it's not going to be enough. And if we don't do something about the demand side at the same time, we're really fighting a losing battle."
A new 24-hour substance abuse and mental health help line announced by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin earlier this month is meant to help curb the demand for drugs in the state.
The call line, at 844-HELP4WV, is a collaborative effort between First Choice Health Systems, a West Virginia-based company that runs programs like the 1-800-GAMBLER help line, and the state Department of Health and Human Resources. It's meant to align callers with the help they need close to home, officials said.
There is no automated system and no caller will be placed on hold, explained Kim Walsh with the DHHR's Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities. Staff will help arrange transportation to treatment and follow up with callers.
"This is something that has been critically needed," Goodwin said, adding that he previously thought, "We need an app for that."
A mobile phone app that will allow users to enter a ZIP code and see the availability of treatment options nearby is nearing completion, Goodwin said.
West Virginia has the highest rate of overdose deaths in the U.S., according to the nonprofit groups Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. There were about 34 drug overdose deaths per 100,000 West Virginia residents from 2011-13, up dramatically from 22 deaths per 100,000 people in 2007-09 - more than double the national average of 13.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
"We have to do everything we can think of to attack this problem," Goodwin said. "We've got to think outside the box. We've got to engage in all kinds of programs in order to get this under control."
Goodwin also touted early drug prevention measures that have been put in place for children. For example, drug testing kits are handed out through the "Give me a Reason" program with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department to "give parents a reason to talk to their children about drug abuse and to give kids a reason to say no if they are offered drugs," he said.
"That's why I think I'm so passionate about this," Goodwin said after the meeting, "because it affects kids. It affects them in a very real and profound way. And if we don't do something to address it now, we're going to see an even more dismal future for our state and for this region."
Reach Kate White at kate.white@wvgazette.com, 304-348-1723 or follow @KateLWhite on Twitter.