A major portion of the Perry County commissioners meeting Dec. 22 focused on a presentation regarding the use of opioid settlement funds.
Representatives from the Perry and Cumberland Drug and Alcohol Commission provided an overview of national, state and local trends, noting that opioid-related overdose deaths have declined in recent years. Locally, officials reported that Perry County has seen a reduction in overdose deaths.
The presenters attributed the decline to a combination of factors, including wider availability of naloxone, increased use of medication-assisted treatment and harm reduction practices. They also noted that substance use trends are shifting, with fewer overdoses involving opioids alone and more involving other substances…