The death of an Oscar winner is bringing fresh attention to a growing problem- a nationwide surge in heroin use and deadly overdoses.Acclaimed film and stage actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died at the age of 46 in New York this month after an apparent overdose of the drug.
The tragedy throws into focus a trend advocates say is becoming increasingly worrisome; a sharp increase in opiate and heroin addiction in this country. It’s a problem across the nation and on the First Coast.
Gina Thorne, vice president at Lakeview Health, and Kelly Corredor, President and CEO at The Skeeterhawk Experiment, a First Coast nonprofit working to address the problem of prescription drug abuse, joined Melissa Ross to discuss what is being done locally to combat addiction.
You can follow Melissa Ross on Twitter @MelissainJax.