Congress must resolve to act on opioid alternatives: Greg McNeil
HUDSON, Ohio — My life changed forever in October 2015 when my youngest son, Sam, overdosed on heroin laced with fentanyl. I never could have imagined that this would be his destiny.
Sam had a big heart. In fact, he was introduced to opioids after plastic surgery to address injuries he received while defending a young woman at a party. It took just weeks for him to become addicted. And, as often happens, Sam’s opioid addiction quickly led to heroin.
Summit County father hopes opioid-focused bill helps families battling addiction
HUDSON, Ohio — Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the opioid epidemic continues to ravage communities throughout the country and in Ohio.
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office said the state’s death rate from opioid overdoses in the second quarter of 2020 was the highest in 10 years.
Now, Greg McNeil, a Summit County father who lost his son to an opioid overdose, is hoping a new bill called Non-opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act can help families better cope with addiction before it’s too late.
November 2020: The Washington Post – Johnson & Johnson, three other companies close in on $26 billion deal on opioid litigation
Four companies that made or distributed prescription opioids and played roles in the catastrophic opioid crisis have reached a tentative $26 billion settlement with counties and cities that sued them for damages in the largest federal court case in American history.
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The settlement offer from opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and the “Big Three” distributors, McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen, potentially brings a large measure of legal closure for the companies and will funnel money to communities devastated by an addiction crisis that claims more than 70,000 lives in America every year. That death toll continues to rise even as it is overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic…
October 22, 2020: NPR- OxyContin Maker To Pay Out Billions In Civil, Criminal Penalties
The Justice Department has announced an $8.3 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin — one of the prescription drugs at the center of the overdose crisis in the U.S.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
The makers of OxyContin, one of the drugs blamed for setting off the opioid crisis, will plead guilty to federal criminal charges. The Justice Department announced those charges against Purdue Pharma yesterday as part of an $8 billion settlement. NPR addiction correspondent Brian Mann is with us. Brian, good morning…
January 2020: 2 News – NaloxBox program gives emergency access to life-saving drugs
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – A new NaloxBox program introduced by the Community Overdose Action Team will allow Montgomery County businesses to request a free, life-saving NaloxBox to be placed at their location, similar to automated external defibrillators.
The NaloxBox contains the overdose-reversing drug naloxone. It’s designed to be accessible for anyone to use in the event of a drug overdose.
… “We thought Sam was in long-term recovery at the time, and we were sadly mistaken,” said Greg McNeil, who founded the non-profit organization Cover2 Resources and attended Thursday’s announcement…
December 2019: USA Today – Fentanyl coming directly from China to America has declined dramatically: Drug czar
His official title is director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, but Jim Carroll is better known as the White House drug czar. He’s the direct adviser to the president on drug issues, and his office oversees $36 billion in federal spending. Carroll, a 57-year-old Washington attorney and former deputy White
House chief of staff, met recently with the Editorial Board to discuss the opioid epidemic, marijuana legalization and other issues. Questions and answers have been edited for length and clarity:
October 2019: The Washington Post – The Legal Battle Over Opioids: What Happens Next? – The Washington Post
“For us, as families, this doesn’t give us closure. There’s no responsibility taken,” said Greg McNeil, who lost his son, Sam, to heroin in 2015. Sam had first become addicted to prescription pain pills. McNeil, who now runs an opioid education podcast called Cover2 Resources, called the settlement with Cuyahoga and Summit Counties a “hollow victory.”
“They decieved the public , and becouse of that many people perished,” McNeil said. “Four hundred thousand families will have an empty seat aroimd the table at the holidays this year and they need to be held accountable for that.”
October 2019: Fox 8 Cleveland – Local man who lost son in opioid epidemic says settlement is not enough
Greg McNeil’s son, Sam, also struggled with pain pill addiction before dying of a heroin overdose in 2015.
McNeil is bothered that the drug companies did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the settlement.
“You have had the testimony of all the false and misleading practices that the industry has perpetuated over the course of the past 20 years, and it’s unconscionable,” said Greg McNeil, Son died from overdose.
Both dads stressed that no amount of money will bring back their sons, or thousands of others lost to the opioid crisis. They hope much of the settlement money goes toward treatment.
“Unlike the tobacco settlement, in this particular case, there’s going to be some things that will directly impact the opioid epidemic,” said McNeil.
October 2019: Fox 8 Cleveland – Local man who lost son in opioid epidemic says settlement is not enough
CLEVELAND– A Northeast Ohio father who lost his youngest son to the opioid epidemic said he believes Monday’s multi-million dollar settlement is not enough. He said he believes the drug companies involved are not taking full responsibility for the pain that his family and others have endured.
Greg McNeil, of Hudson, was in the courtroom when Cuyahoga and Summit counties reached a settlement with the nation’s three largest drug distributors and a major drug maker. He said $260 million is not enough to cover the damage that he feels the opioid epidemic has caused. He wants to hear an admission of guilt and an apology.
“If they would have taken responsibility for misleading the public and causing the epidemic, then I think we would have had some opportunity, a little bit of closure for families throughout America that have lost loved ones, but sadly that hasn’t happened,” McNeil said.
October 2019: News 5 Cleveland – Families who lost loved ones have mixed feelings on $260 million opioid trial settlement
October 2019: NPR, 2 Ohio Counties Reach Settlement In Lawsuit Over Opioid Epidemic
October 2019: Washington Post, Ohio Counties, Four Drug Firms Reach $260 Million Settlement In Opioid Epidemic Case, Averting Trial
September 2019: Washington Post, Purdue Pharma family profits from sale of ski resorts in regions plagued by opioid addiction
September 2019: WLWT5, Rep. Brad Wenstrup discusses non-opioid pain treatment options with doctors, activists
On Thursday, Snyder and other medical experts joined forces with ordinary citizens who are fighting on the front lines of Greater Cincinnati’s opioid crisis.
Both sides gathered at Good Samaritan Hospital to support new ways of treating pain without narcotics. They have a powerful ally in U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio.
“We were being driven, you know, sometimes by federal requirements (to) take care of pain, make sure the pain goes away,” Wenstrup said. “That isn’t the best answer all the time.”
September 2019: USA Today, The opioid crisis: The right way to spend billions in settlement money
When the Food and Drug Administration approved OxyContin in 1995, it lit a match that set off an inferno. By allowing Purdue Pharma’s addictive painkiller to be prescribed for a broad range of ailments, the FDA unwittingly instigated one of the worst public health crises our country has known.
Now, nearly a quarter of a century into the opioid epidemic, it’s clear the pharmaceutical industry duped the government into believing opioids were safe to freely prescribe for almost any ailment. By the time we realized we were in a health crisis, thousands of people had already lost their lives. Countless communities had been financially and emotionally devastated just trying to keep pace with the tsunami of overdoses.
August 2019: WLWT 5, Rep. Brad Wenstrup discusses non-opioid pain treatment options with doctors, activists
The consequences of drug abuse are never far from the mind of orthopedic surgeon Mark Snyder.
“(That’s) because it’s the leading cause of accidental death in America,” Snyder said.
On Thursday (8/29/2019), Snyder and other medical experts joined forces with ordinary citizens who are fighting on the front lines of Greater Cincinnati’s opioid crisis.
Both sides gathered at Good Samaritan Hospital to support new ways of treating pain without narcotics. They have a powerful ally in U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio.
August 2019: Akron.com, NARCAN Emergency Kits Installed at CAK
The Akron-Canton Airport partnered with the Green Drug Task Force to install seven emergency NARCAN kits that reverse the effects of an opioid overdose throughout the terminal this summer. The NaloxBox units, similar to AED or first-aid kits located in public places, will be installed alongside CAK’s existing Automated External Defibrillator (AED) units, according to city officials.
Officials said three units at the airport will be supplied by RIDMAT/MRC and RI Responds, the manufacturer of Naloxbox, while the other four units will be purchased by Akron-Canton Airport. Each kit costs approximately $250.
August 2019: Channel 19 Cleveland, Akron-Canton Airport Installs Life Saving Opioid Overdose Units In Terminal
The Akron-Canton Airport has installed NaloBox units inside the terminal that contain Narcan nasal spray. The spray can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
“We are aware of the growing epidemic and feel responsible as a public facility to be equipped to handle such an incident,” said Ren Camacho President and CEO of Akron-Canton Airport.
First responders have just six minutes to arrive and begin administering the life-saving drug Narcan in an overdose situation according to Greg McNeil, Founder and President of Cover2.org.
“Having Narcan readily available in public spaces can save lives by bridging the gap while waiting for first responders to arrive,” McNeil said.
August 2019: Akron Beacon Journal, Akron-Canton Airport to Install Naloxone Kits
The Akron-Canton Airport is installing seven live-saving naloxone kits, Beacon Journal news partner News 5 Cleveland reports.
“Minutes can matter when it comes to saving a life and we want to be able to provide that opportunity,” airport President and CEO Ren Camacho told the television station. “The ability to save one life, it’s well worth the investment.”
August 2019: Aviation Pros, Akron-Canton Airport In-Terminal Emergency Tools Expanded to Include Narcan
Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) has installed NaloxBox units within its terminal, containing Narcan nasal spray, which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
The effort to save lives is a collaboration between CAK, the City of Green, Cover2 Resources, the Summit County Health Department and Project DAWN.
August 2019: Fox 8 Cleveland, Growing Epidemic: Narcan Installed at Akron Canton Airport
NORTH CANTON, Ohio – The Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) has installed NaloxBox units in its terminal that contain Narcan nasal spray, which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose.
It’s part of a collaboration between CAK, the City of Green, Cover2 Resources, the Summit County Health Department and Project DAWN.
August 2019: USA Today, A Hole in Our Hearts – Losing a Loved One to the Opioid Crisis
Bill Sternberg, USA TODAY Editorial Page editor, hopes that talking about his son’s death can help others and shed light on a flawed system. USA TODAY
July 2019: WKYC Channel 3 – Cleveland – Health Headlines: City of Green fights Opioid Epidemic
Cover 2 Resouces and the Community of First Responders Initiative were featured on WKYC Channel 3 Cleveland.
July 2019: News 5 Cleveland – App Helps Connect Naloxone Carriers With People Overdosing
GREEN, Ohio — Central Park in Green was the venue for a country music concert Thursday night, but it was also a venue in which to raise awareness about the opioid crisis.
Among those attending the event was Greg McNeil of Hudson, Ohio. McNeil, the event organizer, lost his son to a heroin overdose in October 2015.
July 2019: News 5 Cleveland – Akron Canton Airport Installing Seven Narcan Kits
GREEN, Ohio — Seven kits containing the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone will soon be installed at Akron Canton Airport.
The units will be mounted in both public and secure areas next to existing automated external defibrillators (AED’s).
Each kit, called Naloxbox, contain two doses of Narcan as well as a face mask for rescue breathing.
July 2019: Cleveland.com – Summit County concert promotes free app to connect naloxone carriers to people overdosing
GREEN, Ohio — A free country music concert in Green on Thursday will promote the launch of a community-wide network that will connect naloxone carriers with people who are overdosing.
The “Community of First Responders” launch party, featuring food trucks and CMA Award-winning country artist Shane Runion, is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Central Park, 1795 Steese Road.
July 2019: 1590 WAKR – Greg McNeil & Shane Runion: Community of First Responders Event
Greg McNeil and CMA artist Shane Runion jump on 1590 WAKR to talk about the Community of First Responders Initiative and the Launch Party concert.
This event is an evening of family-friendly fun, music, and food, celebrating a community uniting together to save lives.
June 2019: Akron Beacon Journal – Hudson Father Devotes Life to Fighting Opioid Epidemic After Son Dies From Overdose
Greg McNeil got the heartbreaking phone call on Oct. 23, 2015. His 28-year-old son, Sam, who had struggled for years with heroin but seemed to have turned the corner, was found dead sitting in his favorite chair at his home in Boca Raton, Florida. It was a drug overdose.
June 2019: NPR, All Things Considered – How One Father Became A Leading Activist In The Fight Against Opioids
When Greg McNeil’s son Sam died of a heroin overdose in 2015, after first becoming addicted to prescription pain pills, the father reinvented himself as an opioid activist.
June 2019: The Fix – Community Of Responders Campaign Aims To End Overdose Deaths
A new campaign growing out of Green, Ohio aims to turn community members into lifesaving first responders who are ready to act in case of an opioid overdose. Combining the efforts of Cover2 Resources, NaloxBox, NaloxoFind, Project DAWN and ODMAP, the Community of First Responders (CFR) is the first of its kind in the U.S.
May 2019: Spectrum News 1 – A Father’s Journey Turns Grief Into Advocacy
Twinsburg, OH – Greg McNeil calls himself a “hack” when it comes to podcasting, and didn’t see it in his future.
- His son died of a heroin overdose
- His podcasts and community activism help others
- He’s working in Green to create programs and resources for those struggling with addictions and overdoses
“I’ve never done a podcast before this in my life,” said Greg McNeil of Cover2 Resources. “But, for whatever reason, it occurred to us it would be a good thing.”
May 2019: ideasstream – City of Green To Install NARCAN Kits In Hotels
The city of Green in Summit County will equip hotels with Narcan, the naloxone nasal spray drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, in a program believed the be the first of its kind in the United States.
May 2019: wksu|89.7 – City of Green to Place NARCAN Kits in Hotels
A new initiative in Green aims to prevent overdose deaths. The city was in the national spotlight in 2016 when a teenager overdosed in a hotel in Green.
May 2019: Cover2 Resources Interviewed on 1590 WAKR
1590 WAKR interviews Cover 2 Resources’ Greg McNeil on the Jasen Sokol Show, covering the installation of the new wall-mounted opioid rescue kits in Green Ohio. Greg shares his insights into the opioid epidemic’s impact on the city of green, and the Community of First Responders efforts to save lives through Narcan administration training and the implementation of public use Naloxone.
May 23rd, 2019: Cover2 Resources Gets Narcan Kits Mounted in Green Ohio Hotels
In an interview with Cover 2 Resources’ Greg McNeil, News 5 Cleveland covers the installation of new wall-mounted opioid rescue kits in hotels around Green Ohio. As part of the efforts made by the Community of First Responders to take action against the opioid epidemic in Ohio, the city of Green is positioning these NaloxBox kits in areas with high occurrences of opioid overdoses, as well as training hotel staff in Narcan administration. Therefore, first responders can revive an unconscious victim while waiting for medical help to arrive, saving lives.
Hope Village Recovery Center Hosts Opioid Roundtable in Rootstown, OH
Senator Rob Portman attended an opioid roundtable on Thursday, August 30th. Hosted by Hope Village Recovery Center, Greg McNeil of Cover2 Resources attended the roundtable along with the Portage County Mental Health and Recovery Board (MHRB). Senator Portman’s bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction & Recovery Act helps fund recovery and treatment programs, as well as prevention resources. The Hope Village Recovery Center provides outpatient recovery services for individuals who suffer from alcohol and drug addiction in Rootstown, Ohio.
April 25th, 2018: Cover2 Resources Recognized as Non-Profit of the Month by Nurenberg Paris
Over the past 7 years, Nurenberg Paris has been making a difference through its Community Matters partnership. Every month they choose a non-profit organization to partner with so that they can help them promote their cause and achieve their goals. This program allows non-profits to get recognized by being featured on an episode of WKYC’s Lakeside Today, promoted on social media, and even a ‘Road to a Better’ commercial spot that airs during the month on WKYC.
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April 12th, 2018: Fentanyl Is A Lethal Weapon, But $1 Test Strips Offer A Defense
Check out this article featuring our Founder, Greg McNeil discussing how the opioid epidemic has personally affected his family, and how Cover2 Resources funded Circle Health Service’s test strip pilot program.
April 5th, 2018: Surgeon General Jerome Adams pictured with Cover 2 founder
Greg McNeil at the 2018 National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit. Surgeon General Adams, along with many other key speakers including former President Clinton, spoke on fighting the opioid within your own immediate communities. He also spoke on making Narcan universally available in order to save lives.
March 30, 2018 : Special Screening of Showtime’s “The Trade” documentary
Catch a special screening of the docu-series “The Trade” for an inside look at the effects of the opioid epidemic. There will be a screening Monday, April 2nd 2018 at the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, OH. For more information, check out the event details here.
March 23, 2018: The Rubber City Radio Group Sponsor Opioid Roundtable
Join our own, Greg McNeil and the Rubber City Radio Group Thursday, March 29th for an “Opioid Roundtable,” featuring some key speakers from our community who will do a short presentation on their role in the battle against the opioid epidemic followed by a question & answer segment from the audience. The roundtable begins March 29, 2018, at Barberton High School Auditorium and we would like to invite everyone to come participate and discover more about the fight against opioid addiction. Visit 1590 WAKR Rubber City Radio Group for more information on the discussion.
March 22, 2018: Nurenberg Paris and Cover2 Discuss Potential Partnership
Nurenburg Paris Attorney Jordan Lebovitz and Cover2 Founder Greg McNeil discuss partnership of organizations on set at Lakeside Today. Take a look at the interview about battling addiction and the opioid epidemic. Watch that interview here.
March 21, 2018: Shane Runion and Greg McNeil Join Jasen Sokol at WAKR
Country music artist Shane Runion and founder of Cover 2 Resources Greg McNeil joined Jasen Sokol on WAKR this morning. Runion discussed his new single “Tattoos” and explained how and where the song originated. Runion performed the song for the Drug-Free Clubs of America and is currently performing at various venues across northeast Ohio. His shows are an attempt to bring a message of hope and bring awareness to the current opioid epidemic, thus tackling the issue head-on. Check out the interview here.
Shane Runion Rocks Out in Cuyahoga Falls
The Shane Runion Band and a number of enthusiastic faces took Cuyahoga Falls High School by storm this morning. The Cuyahoga Falls chapter of the Drug-Free Clubs of America enjoyed an unforgettable show as country artist Shane Runion put on a stellar performance. Runion’s message of finding your life’s purpose, mixed with the band’s raw talent and country roots were enough to get the crowd dancing and then some.
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New Country Face Shane Runion Wows Drug-Free Clubs of America
An energetic crowd of country music fans gathered at Barberton High School this morning for a concert full of heart and also hope. Rising country music star, Shane Runion performed for the Drug-Free Clubs of America and wowed his audience Monday. Runion will be performing at a few high schools in northeast Ohio in hopes to inspire the youths. His message stretches beyond music genres and will resonate with all communities.
Runion is a Nashville recording artist and is rising as a fresh, new face in the country music scene. As a 2017 CMA Emerging Artist, Runion has already made a name for himself in the industry. With hits already making their way on to the European and Australian charts, this rising star is in for a promising career.
The next Shane Runion Band performance will be a private show for the Cuyahoga Falls High School chapter of Drug Free Clubs of America on March 20, 2018. For more information on the Shane Runion Band, go to ShaneRunion.Com. To learn more about opening a Drug-Free Clubs of America chapter go to DrugFreeClubs.com.
cleveland19.com, Febuary 13, 2018: A new tool for those in the fight against opioids
“I think back on all the resources we might have had at our disposal, and could one of them have made a difference. You know, I think, this one could have made a difference. (Greg McNeil)”
The Spirit of Philanthropy, November 2, 2017: Opioid Crisis Sparks Fight for Lives
“I want to offer families the education I wish we’d had. (Greg McNeil)”
news5cleveland.com, October 26, 2017: NEO man who lost son to addiction reacts to Trump declaring opioid crisis ‘public health emergency’
“It’s a 90-day order,” he said. “This isn’t a 90-day problem. This is a long-term problem and hopefully the thought behind that is well ok, let’s get started, see how it goes and if we need to shift, in short order, to a national emergency, The Stafford Act, that’s what we do. (Greg McNeil)”
admboard.org, September 28, 2017: ADM Board Recognizes Trailblazers at Appreciation Luncheon
“Those honored with the Dr. Bob Smith Trailblazer award are known for offering hope and inspiring change in others. This year’s recipient is Greg McNeil which was presented by the 2016 recipient, Reba McCray.”
clevelandmagazine.com, September 15, 2017: Our Epidemic: A Father’s Crusade
“The words just came out,” he says. “I told everyone that we know how Sam passed, and we’re going to do something. We’re going to make a difference.(Greg McNeil)”
mytownneo.com, August 23, 2017: Hear father’s tale of opioid tragedy – and what he learned from his late son
“Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend this forum and hear Greg McNeil talk about his own family’s struggle, what they have learned and how we can all be part of the solution to this crisis.(Rev. Charlotte Collins Reed)”
TEDx Akron: 2017 Speakers
Greg McNeil will be a speaker at the Akron TEDx 2017 event. Visit the site to see the full lineup of speakers this year. To see the Akron TEDx 2013: Forever Young, click here.
cleveland.com, June 21, 2017: Test strips could help drug users detect deadly fentanyl
“Fentanyl test strips could help drug users detect the presence of the deadly opioid in street drugs. Cuyahoga County agencies are exploring the possibility of providing them to drug users.(Greg McNeil)”
wkyc.com, June 15, 2017: Local Dad wants different kind of drug test to battle opiate epidemic
“One expert talked about a program in New York using test strips to detect deadly fentanyl. The user can check their own heroin to see if it’s laced with fentanyl which is 50 or more times stronger. Fentanyl is blamed for the high spike in overdose deaths in Northeast Ohio. ”
clevescene.com, June 07, 2017: A Grieving Father Helped Bring a New Model of Fighting Heroin Addiction to Summit County, and It Might Change Everything
“The McNeils are far from alone in this, both in facing the tragedy of losing a loved one and turning that grief into action. All over Ohio, grieving parents are committing in their own unique way to tackling the great public health crisis of our time.”
Ohio.com, April 24, 2017: Don’t tell kids ‘Just Say No,’ they’re smarter than that
“Forget the days of telling teenagers to “Just Say No to Drugs.”It’s not the ’80s or the ’90s, and the kids aren’t hip to McGruff the Crime Dog — if they ever were.”
Collegian.lorainccc.edu: Panel Discusses Opiod Epidemic, Grief
“The most common emotion under these circumstances is guilt, an emotion that causes someone who is grieving to blame themselves and others.”
Akron.com, April 20, 2017: Author ties together causes of opiate epidemic
“Award-winning journalist Sam Quinones laid out the case for what has led to unprecedented increases in addiction and deaths resulting from heroin and other opiates during a talk at the Akron-Summit County Main Library April 12.”
Akron.com, April 13, 2017: Opiate epidemic to be addressed at community event
“Coventry Local Schools will host an informative session on the opiate epidemic April 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Coventry High School, 1135 Portage Lakes Drive.
The event will begin with the chance for community members to visit resource tables from Summit Community Partnership, Greenleaf Family Center, Edwin Shaw Rehabilitation Center, Oriana House, Summit County DARE, Project DAWN, IBH Addiction Recovery Center, Cover2 Resources and Breaking Barriers-Hope is Alive, among other local organizations.”
Ohio.com, April 13,2017: National author says communities must end isolation to cure heroin crisis
“The author of Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic, was being interviewed by student Denton Cohen, 17, a junior, for a taping of the student-run Bulldog Buzz show. The show will be made into a video for YouTube and will be broadcast on Green station GCTV Channel 16.”
Clevescene.com, April 10, 2017: ‘Dreamland’ Author Sam Quinones Will Visit Akron on Wednesday
“The author comes to Northeast Ohio via Cover2 Resources, a relatively new Northeast Ohio organization that is raising awareness of the spiderwebbed network of realities now bolstering the epidemic. The McNeil family lost a son and brother, Sam McNeil, to a heroin overdose in October 2015 — nearly 10 years after an original prescription for pain medication led him toward an addiction.”
StowSentry.com, April 2, 2017: Munroe Falls quick response team to take on addictions
“According to a March 28 Summit ADM press release, Munroe Falls will be joining seven other Summit County communities that have formed teams to provide “community outreach to those who have experienced a recent overdose. Teams offer resources for overdose victims and their families, with the goal to offer hope and connect them to treatment.”
imwong.com
imwong.com, March 31, 2017: A City Club Discussion: Ohio’s Opioid Crisis
“We soon learned that Ohio has an opioid problem that has produced twice as many fatal overdoses as New York and three times as many as California. This might be due in part to the number of illegal pill mills here (which law enforcement has been successfully locating and shutting down as of late) and the fact that Ohio is so highway accessible.”
Cleveland.com: “Know the Risks” campaign is critical in fighting Northeast Ohio’s opioid epidemic
The “Know the Risks” campaign is a collaborative effort among local agencies and organizations, production companies, hospitals and media outlets, including cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. The campaign will include news coverage, public service announcements, commercials, print advertisements and social media outreach on the risks associated with prescription opioids.
Fox 8: Cuyahoga County officials announce campaign to raise opioid awareness
FOX 8 News is teaming up with other media outlets in Northeast Ohio for “Opioids: Know the Risks.”
Channel 19: Heroin epidemic: Campaign unveiled to fight opioid crisis
A new collaborative campaign for raising awareness and steps to combat the epidemic will be unveiled at the “Know the Risks” event.
The Chronicle, March 22nd, 2017: Overdose Survivors Cope With Loss
“Greg McNeil carries custom-made poker chips with him wherever he goes. When he meets a heroin addict or family member of an addict, he hands them one.”
Portman Senate, March 15th, 2017: In New Podcast, Portman Discusses Effort to Combat Heroin Epidemic
“During an interview recently taped for the PPT podcast series with Cover2 Resources based in Akron, Ohio, Senator Portman discussed his efforts to combat the heroin epidemic and provide relief to Ohioans suffering from the disease of addiction.”
Wadsworth Community Radio:
News 5 Cleveland, February 15th, 2017: Deadly Addiction Changes the Way Families Remember Loved Ones in Obituaries
“The deadly heroin crisis in our communities is changing the way victims’ families choose to remember their loved ones. Families are much more forthcoming about their cause of death. The number of death notices in Northeast Ohio that now contain the words addiction, heroin, and overdose is soaring.”
Akron Beacon Journal, February 10th, 2017: Group hopes to deter teen drug use with club that offers testing
“They were sick of the death and destruction in their neighborhood,” McNeil said. “They wanted to stop it before it starts. [They said] ‘Let’s go to schools.’ ”
Hudson Life, February 2017: Hudson Father Takes on Opioid Epidemic After Son’s Loss
“Many of us can take them without consequences. Others can’t. They’re opioids, aka painkillers, and they leave many patients with addictions that lead to heroin use and fatal overdoses.”
CantonRep.com, January 19, 2017: Green Quick Response Team to Address Heroin Abuse Almost Ready to Roll
“People look to us for help and we don’t like to say, ‘I don’t know.’ We had to do something more than leave a recovery packet behind,” said Daniel Meloy, administrator and director of public safety for Colerain Township, near Cincinnati. “If we make a home visit from three to five days after an overdose, there is an 80 percent higher chance that person will go into treatment.”
Kent.edu, November 9, 2016: Overcoming Addiction
“Nearly three decades into her own recovery, Anita Bradley ’95, founder of the Northern Ohio Recovery Association, is helping others get past their pain.“
Bocaratonobserver.com, January 2017: Sam’s Story – Read the full article starting on Pg. 72
“Through his podcasts, Greg is lobbying for continuous care for addicts so that the transition from treatment center to full recovery is as seamless as the medical care offered for other types of disease” Pg. 77
mypalmbeachpost.com: GenerationHerion
“Last year, 216 people died here of heroin-related overdoses — about one every other day. Many died in public places. Many died at home and were found by their parents and kids.”
Akron.com, December 22, 2016: Communities Forming New Response to Opioid Overdose Problems
“According to Meloy, last year the community saw a 35 percent drop in reported overdoses and has gotten 80 percent of those who overdosed into treatment. He added the Colerain team that visits these individuals once a week costs about $34,000 annually to operate.
McNeil added that area fire, police and social services agencies that participated in the workshop included those from Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Green, Hudson, Lakemore, Springfield, Shelby, Tallmadge, Twinsburg and Mansfield, as well as Portage and Richland counties.”
Los Angeles Times, November 18, 2016: Everything You Need to Know to Choose the Right Rehab
“Choosing an addiction treatment program for a loved one can literally be a matter of life or death — a decision impacting not only the patient, but also entire families or even communities. Yet few of us know what facets of treatment should factor into such a life-changing decision.”
Twinsburg Tribune
Twinsburg Tribune, December 2016: Twinsburg Business Owner Launches Opioid Education Nonprofit After Son’s Loss
Excerpt, Page 16: “Many of us can take them without consequences. Others can’t. They’re opioids, aka painkillers, and they leave many patients with addictions that lead to heroin use and fatal overdoses…”
Nordonia Hills The News Leader, Sept. 15, 2016: Cover2 Resources opioid abuse education kick-off event Oct. 15
Excerpt: “Through initiatives slated for this year, including a podcast series on people, places and things making a difference in the opioid epidemic, Cover2 Resources hopes to make a difference in Ohio in the growing opioid addiction problem.”
Palm Beach Post, Sept. 2, 2016: Grieving dad attacks heroin by arming families with ways to get help
Excerpt: “It started with an online obituary that explained how Sam, 28, died at home west of Boca Raton “from a drug overdose after losing an eight-year battle with addiction. If one person reads this and it stops them from going down the path of addiction, then his death was not in vain.’””
Akron Beacon Journal, Aug. 6, 2016: While wave of overdoses grips Summit County, grass-roots efforts to fight heroin thrive
Excerpt: “Meanwhile, the local family of a man who died of an overdose last year has formed a nonprofit organization with the goal of giving families the resources to help their addicted loved ones. The contacts offered by Greg McNeil and Cover2 Resources were not available to him before his son, Sam, died in October at age 28.”
ADAMHS Board Newsletter, July 2016: ADAMHSCC July 2016 Newsletter
Excerpt: “I was interviewed by Greg McNeil, founder of Cover2 Resources, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to connecting families of opiate addicts with the resources they need to help a loved one conquer addiction. Mr. McNeil started Cover2 in honor of his late son Sam, who passed away from a heroin overdose. My full podcast interview about local resources is available on their website: www.cover2.org”