CAPWI’s addiction event prompts local discussion and action committee

Community Action Program, Inc. of Western Indiana‘s (CAPWI’s) Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program hosted the Addiction From Beginning to End: Tobacco to Heroin town hall event on Wednesday, April 18, at the Warren County Learning Center. More than 30 community members attended this event, which was a collaborative effort with Affiliated Service Providers of Indiana (ASPIN).

The event included a presentation on the journey of addiction, followed by a panel discussion with local experts, including:

• Melissa Dismore, Fountain & Warren County Health Department
• Karen Hudmon, PhD, Purdue University College of Pharmacy
• Terry Cook, DMHA, State Opioid Treatment Authority

Attendees learned about:

• The economic impact of tobacco use
• Addiction and its multiple components
• The correlation between tobacco use and substance abuse
• The need for incorporating tobacco cessation in substance-abuse treatment
• Opioids and the various types
• Data reflecting local and statewide prescription usage of opioids and heroin, substance abuse, mental health and more

Following the event, a local committee was formed to continue the conversation and develop a plan of action.