MONTGOMERY, Ala (WRBL)- Governor Kay Ivey says she’s putting $1.4 million toward reducing illegal drugs. It comes as the state’s opioid crisis continues to worsen.
The
state has landed a major grant to fight the sell of illegal drugs.
Eugene McIntosh is substance abuse coordinator with Council on Substance Abuse. He says illegal prescription drug use is
still a big problem.
“In the state of Alabama, we are in the top 10. At one point, we were in the top five,” McIntosh said.
Monday Gov. Kay Ivey announced she would be putting $1.4 million towards tackling this problem. This is a part of the state drug task force. It also includes the arrest of people who are selling the drugs.
“We must combat the illegal and illegally obtained drugs that rob so many people of productive lives and that destroy families,” said Governor Ivey.
The task force is in its second year. So far, they have been involved in 991 drug cases resulting in 606 arrests.
This past weekend was National Drug Take Back Day.
“One hundred pounds of drugs were given back to the DEA,” said McIntosh.
The task force is made up of 93 law enforcement officers representing 46 states.
