Erie County has seen the sharpest increase of opioid overdose deaths in the entire state. From 2010 to 2015, the county experienced a 256% increase in drug deaths. State and local lawmakers are meeting Thursday to announce millions of dollars in additional state funding to fight drug addiction in Buffalo and Erie County.
Lawmakers will be joined by treatment advocates to discuss what this additional funding will mean for providers, patients and families.
The Erie County Legislature is currently discussing the possibility of spending an additional million dollars to fight drug addiction locally. The body is also in the process of reevaluating current efforts to determine their effectiveness.
In March, 7 people from Erie County died within 24 hours from a suspected deadly batch of heroin.
