KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The opioid epidemic across the country and here in East Tennessee continues to harm people and their families.
An Opioid abatement summit was held Thursday in Knoxville as a way for organizations and people to network and join forces to fight this problem.
The crowd at the inaugural summit consisted of many organizations like Metro Drug Coalition and Chase Away Fentanyl. Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams was there answering questions and sharing his thoughts on what can be done to stop this issue from growing. Parents who lost loved ones to the Opioid and Fentanyl crisis were also there sharing their stories and hoping to find answers as to how they can help others. One parent says it’s all about erasing the stigma around addiction.
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“People are dying because they aren’t talking about it. They don’t want to admit that their child has an addiction problem, but they do,” Tina Kennedy said. She lost her child to overdose in 2023. “By the time you admit it, they’re dead so it’s too late. You have to address it, you have to admit it, not only to others but you have to admit it to yourself first. That’s really hard as a parent.”