Democratic Attorney General Mark Herring is trying to help law enforcement officers across Virginia combat opioid abuse with a new video. But will it do any good?
“Now the ambulance is being dispatched while you and I talk. I need to ask you some questions to better prepare them. So I want you to know that I am not delaying anything, OK?”
“Ok.”
That’s part of a training video released this week by the office of Attorney General Mark Herring aimed at combating opioid abuse. It’s part of an ongoing effort from people including Doctor James Thompson of Winchester.
"The addict is a person who may be very intelligent, very capable, very good person, perhaps has made some very bad choices in life. Who hasn’t? But finds him or herself particularly unable to control or limit their use of drugs or alcohol.”
But this is an election year. And Herring has an opponent, Republican candidate John Adams.
“It’s important to raise awareness. But this has been going on for a while now, and at some point, the raising of awareness doesn’t do you much good if you don’t get significant action and you don’t start to make significant gains with a crisis like this.”
The video is part of a $115,000 pot of money confiscated by drug dealers that paid for a documentary, a public-service announcement and this roll-call video aimed at public safety officers.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
