On Thursday, September 14th, 2017, Bel Air High School will be hosting a personal and ”armchair” discussion with the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, among other guests on the crisis of addiction in Harford County. The interactive and completely free Q and A will be held from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at Bel Air High School (100 Heighe Street, Bel Air, MD 21014).

During his time as Surgeon General from 2014-2017, Dr. Murthy implemented many new programs and reforms to help combat the epidemic of drugs and addictions around the country, such as the TurnTheTide campaign, which was a movement for health professionals to address the nation’s opioid problem, and he was the first ever Surgeon General to give the Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. VISIONS, a program that educates those in India on HIV/AIDS, and Swasthya, a community health partnership that teaches women in rural India how to be health providers and educators are among the programs that he has co-founded.

Dr. Murthy will be joined in this Q and A by L. Governor of Maryland, Boyd Rutherford; Harford County Executive, Barry Glassman; Executive Director, Md. Opioid Operational Command Center Clay Stamp; Harford County Sheriff, Jeffrey Gahler; Harford County Public School Superintendent, Barbara Canava; and Administrator for Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy, as well as moderator, Joe Ryan.

Addiction has been a problem plaguing Harford County for years, with heroin fatalities being up 185 percent in the first quarter of 2017, having 149 more deaths than the previous year*. Many people in this community of have been effected by this epidemic, and this meeting is the perfect time and place for people to learn the true facts about addiction, and how it can be both prevented and cured, so that the number of these senseless deaths and tragedies can fall.

Attendance will also greatly benefit your local PTA, as although admission is free, 250 dollars will be given to PTAs when 100 people show up from their school.

With it being a great chance to raise awareness, as well raise money for your local PTA, this Q and A is truly a wonderful event to partake in that cannot be recommended enough.

This event will be presented in part with the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy and Addictions Connections Resource, Inc.

For more information, you can call 410-638-3333 or email @odcpharfordcountymd.gov.

*Overdose data found on https://patch.com/maryland/belair/marylands-opioid-epidemic-overdose-death-rate-doubles-harford-county