End The Epidemic

Frank McGillin, Sr. VP and CCO at NeuroMetrix, discusses the problem of opioid abuse and new technology that offers an alternative to opioids for chronic pain.

George, a recovering addict who is 6 months clean, joins the Afternoon News Wrap in part two of a one-on-one to explain how friends and family can help an addict.

Georgia is increasing regulation of addiction treatment centers, prompted by complaints from northwest Georgia lawmakers and residents that a cluster of programs there largely treat people traveling from other states.

This week, the Afternoon News Wrap continued its year-long look at Georgia's opioid crisis by discussing new legislation passed to address the issue, inviting back to the show Dallas Gay, someone many have called the driving force behind abuse legislation in the state.

GPD Sgt. Kevin Holbrook joins the Afternoon News Wrap to look at the growing opioid abuse epidemic in the city and the department's recent expansion from two drug take back days a year to 365.

When they were first being used, opioid pain killers were prescribed at 10-12 doses per script. Now they can be as high as 400 doses with some 110 million prescriptions written each year. Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm.D. and clinical associate professor at UGA, talks about the addictive nature of opioids, what they were intended to treat, and the level to which they are prescribed.

Addiction specialist Scott WIsenbaker talks about drug-laced candies marketed to children and what families can do when they find their children have a drug problem.

Craig George joins the Afternoon News Wrap to detail his recovery from opioid drug abuse that left him isolated from family and friends, in prison and on the verge of slipping into what he calls "darkness."

Often what is seen as a scientific advance can come with its own setbacks. Dr. Paul Offit shares such cases including the discovery of the wonder drug "heroin" as he discusses his book "Pandora's Lab" with WDUN's Bill and Joel.

A number of Hall County Sheriff's deputies joined the ANW this week as part of WDUN's months-long "End the Epidemic" campaign to help spread awareness and end opioid addiction in the North Georgia area.