Drug addiction among topics covered in meeting

 “In rural communities, we hoard things and we share things.” Those are the words of Fred Wells Brason II as he explained one of the reasons prescription drug addiction has become a problem in western North Carolina. 

Brason is president and CEO of Project Lazarus, a non-profit, community-based opioid overdose prevention model which reaches North Carolina and other parts of the United States, including U.S. military and tribal groups.

As the first speaker for the Best Practices and Foundation Forum held Thursday, March 23 at Hinton Center in Hayesville, Brason recited stories and information he has learned over the last few decades. “Appalachia has experienced the four M’s. Moonshine, marijuana, meth and now medicine,” he said. “People pay good money for their drugs and want to keep whatever is left. If a friend or family member has a problem, they say, ‘I got something for that’ and share their drugs. The problem is, a pill can affect one person differently than another.”