(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, the State Library of Ohio, and the Ohio Library Council today announced a new effort aimed at increasing awareness about opioid abuse and addiction.
During today's Ohio Library Council Convention and Expo in Dayton, Attorney General DeWine announced the distribution of opioid addiction awareness posters to libraries across the state. The Ohio Library Council and State Library of Ohio will be making the posters available to Ohio's 251 public library systems and 146 academic libraries at higher education institutions.
Libraries are encouraged to display the posters for staff and the general public. The posters list
the warning signs of opioid abuse or addiction and the signs of an overdose. The posters also include a statewide hotline number that those looking for assistance can call.
"It is incredibly important that we reach as many people as we can to alert them to the signs of addiction and the signs of an overdose," said Attorney General DeWine. "By displaying these posters in libraries across Ohio, we can continue to spread the word about this devastating epidemic. I'm grateful to the Ohio Library Council, State Library of Ohio, and libraries across the state for their willingness to offer this information to library patrons."
"The opioid crisis is having an impact on families all across Ohio. Providing information to people about where and how they can get help is one step in addressing this crisis," said State Librarian Beverly Cain. "The State Library of Ohio is pleased to partner with Attorney General DeWine and the Ohio Library Council to make this informational poster available in public and academic libraries throughout the state. We are working together to assist people in need."
"As centers of the community, Ohio's libraries can help educate the public, provide information, and offer resources for patrons struggling with addiction and their families," said Ohio Library Council Executive Director Doug Evans. "We are constantly looking at the needs of the community and can work with local agencies to help combat the crisis."
Signs of opioid abuse or addiction include:
- Sudden dramatic weight loss
- Changes in expected emotional response and rapid mood swings
- Dramatic changes in sleep patterns
- Constipation without reasonable explanation
- Small or pinpoint pupils
- Unexplained missing personal items and money
Symptoms of an opioid overdose include:
- Bluish nail beds and lips, pale or grayish skin tone
- Noisy and irregular breathing, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest
Other local agencies interested in receiving a free, customized version of the attached poster should email heroinunit@ohioattorneygeneral.gov.
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Media Contacts:
Dan Tierney: 614-466-3840
Jill Del Greco: 614-466-3840