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Patrick Bebie - I have worked on the frontline of the opioid crisis for the past 6 years. I live less than a mile away.
Do your research, One Ohio is not without its warts.
https://www.statenews.org/section/the-ohio-newsroom/2024-07-25/your-questions-about-ohios-opioid-settlement-money-answered
Ohio failed to fully utilize the tobacco settlements of yesteryear, and we have another chance. I am simply concerned that there is a likelihood this will repeat. When you do receive settlement claims, people look to see what all the possibilities are before going forward with the ever popular more money to law enforcement for training. Consult the people working in your neighborhood to save lives of people using drugs and those whose peers are the morbid statics. There is a mighty police presence in Lakewood - this isn't a policing issue. This is a health issue. This is a poverty issue. This is an issue of justice. We must be building a society where those who have been impacted by the opioid crisis can live with dignity and as full members of our community.
This money will have to be spent tactfully; legal and regulatory reforms must come with it.
A simple suggestion. Stop arresting people for possessing materials - like syringes and pipes - they receive from a public health agency. Participating in these programs is proven to save lives and residents of Lakewood face sanctions for engaging in them. This is a simple way Lakewood could start building a more just community for people impacted by the opioid crisis.
I can be contacted at bebiepatrick@gmail.com